Lake Cumberland Houseboat Trip

Happy Monday!  Jen mentioned on Friday that I had been out of town and although we came back mid-week, it took me until now to feel like I was settled and back on track with our normal schedule. 

Some of you may remember last year I shared about our houseboat trip to Lake Cumberland in Kentucky. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).  We had an amazing time and although it probably wasn't the kind of trip I would have planned, it was tons of fun.  So much fun that we decided to do it again this year. Same trip, same people, same location, different experience.  

If something could have gone wrong on the trip, it did.  Now, we still had SO much fun and made lots of amazing memories, but things didn't run quite as smoothly this year as it did last year or maybe the newness of the trip had worn off.  Let's just say 1 day with no running water, one potty that did work part of the time, a hot tub that had some major issues, a kid that almost broke a leg, the stomach bug that claimed 4 victims (including yours truly), a virus that claimed several others, and a crazy crew that joined our peaceful location for part of the week were just some of the mishaps that occurred during our week away.  

However, all of the mishaps and craziness aside, we still had so much fun with our friends and will have stories to laugh about for years to come.  

We woke up early and hit the road for our 5 hour drive to Lake Cumberland.  The kids were so excited and their anticipation was infectious!

We towed our boat there so we would have a ski boat for the week and easily be able to run to the marina for ice and other things we might need.  

I was laughing at all of the stuff I had in the front seat with me and one was this bag of chargers for every device we had on the trip.
#momlife in 2017  

On the way there I wore this adorable Hello, Sunshine tank.  The girls and I spotted it in Target when we were buying a few essentials for the trip and I knew I had to have it, along with a few others I'll share in a sec.  

tank//shorts (similar)//shoes//bag

After a quick grocery run we moved all of our things onto our home for the next week and set sail to find a great spot for the evening.  

We quickly fell into a routine that would last for the remainder of the week.  Lots of good food, yummy drinks, water sports and laughs!  

The girls wanted to bring matching tops for their friends and these Namaste on Vacay tanks were perfect!  They wore them as coverups some days and as cute tops on other days.  After seeing the gorgeous views and amazing weather, we were all feeling pretty sure we could stay on vacay!

On our second day we made the ride down to 76 Falls and tied up. We were the only ones there and had planned to stay for a few days.  The kids love swimming under the waterfall and it was such a gorgeous backdrop.  Well, a few days turned into five and before we knew it it was almost time to go home!  We just didn't want to leave!

We weren't alone though.  There were tons of houseboats that stayed for the long haul and lots of boats that would just come and hang out for the day.

We passed the time with all kinds of fun in the sun.  From just hanging out at the house boat, floating in the water, sliding, napping in hammocks, paddle boarding and boat rides, we definitely got our fill of Lake Life fun. The days all seemed to run together and that is a good thing when you're on vacation!

We stocked up on sunscreen for the week and the kids knew the drill. After breakfast they would all change from pajamas to swimsuits and before heading outside for the day they had to be lathered up. I used my favorite Beautycounter stick sunscreen for our faces and this new whipped sunscreen.  It goes on super smooth and is easy to rub in!

My friend and I decided that this was a trip, not a vacation and it is kind of like camping on the water.  It's full of good times and tan lines.  When I saw this tank before we left I just knew it would be the perfect description of this trip.  

tank//shorts

In fact, since the girls were bringing matching tanks for their friends, I wanted to bring a matching one for my friend, too!  

We have decided that we will not do this trip again next year, but one thing is for sure, we'll do some sort of summer vacation with our friends because we love them so much and any time spent with them is a good time! 

Follow us on Pinterest HERE.

Follow us on Instagram HERE.

Follow us on Facebook HERE.
Follow us on Twitter HERE.

Kentucky Derby {Churchill Downs}

Yesterday I shared about our time leading up to the Kentucky Derby and today is all about Derby Day!

Our group rented a home outside of Louisville, but it worked out great because we had transportation back and forth and it was fun to all be together instead of staying in separate hotel rooms.  I just loved seeing every all dressed up that morning and seeing all of the hats the ladies had picked and how they matched their dresses!

These fancy tickets were handed out and I was getting so excited!  Such a bucket list kind of experience and although it was VERY cold and rainy, I just knew we were going to have a great time.

The Mr. is not the most preppy of guys, so seeing him in a bow tie and looking every so dapper was a bonus. We clean up pretty well!

I was most worried about my shoes. I'd heard there would be a lot of walking and since I knew it would be raining I was really concerned, but I found these gold wedges the night before we left and just hoped they would be OK.  They worked out PERFECTLY!  They aren't too high of a heel and they are actually very comfortable. Plus, I had been looking for a pair of gold wedges I could wear all summer long so I know these will be put to great use!

I mentioned this yesterday, but I found my white lace Lilly Pulitzer dress at TJ Maxx about a month ago and knew right away I wanted to wear it for the derby.  Because it was so cold I ended up throwing on a navy cardigan to try to help keep me me warm!  I had brought a bunch of different necklaces and jewelry to decide between and I'm so happy I threw in my light blue beaded necklace. It belonged to my grandmother and it matched my hat perfectly!  Like it as meant to go together!

We arrived at Churchill Downs around 10:30 AM and I was surprised to learn there were horse races that took place all day long.  For some reason I just thought there was the one big race in the evening.  We were so thankful to be in a suite and out of the elements. Our suite had indoors areas and an outdoor rooftop area that was covered with large tents. The track was so wet and muddy and I felt bad for those horses.

By afternoon the rain had cleared and more people began to head into the stands.  We took this opportunity to leave our suite and walk around. It was fun exploring and even more fun people watching.  I will say that anything goes as far as attire and hats.  You have people who are dressed to the nines and then those making a mockery with crazy hats. There was one guy with a red, white, and blue suit wearing a hat with a big horse on the top of it.  Another woman had a hat with plastic flamingos.  Then there were plenty of beautiful dresses and hats, too.

After buying a few souvenirs of the kids it started raining again so we made our way back to the suite.  We enjoyed the complementary drinks including this signature cocktail, so appropriately named a Lilly!  I'll have to share the recipe soon, but let me just say it was delicious! 

Next we sipped on Mint Juleps, the real signature drink of the Kentucky Derby, while getting a lesson on horse betting.  This was another thing that I had no clue about.  Everyone gets a booklet with all of the stats and details on every single horse that will run that day.

I didn't realize that betting on the races was such a big deal. It's pretty much what people do all day long as they wait for the big race that evening.  We all put in $5 and as a group we would pick horses for every few races and bet couple of dollars here and there. We didn't win one single dime, but it made us all more invested in the races and had us cheering for our favorites.

Thankfully we had someone in our group that had been to the derby multiple times so he was a great resource in helping the guys strategize their bets.  While the girls in the group picked the names we liked best for our picks!

After another bad rainstorm it finally cleared up, just in time for the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby!  It was crazy to see how packed the stands were at this time and even where we were got super busy all of the sudden.  People who had not watched one race before this point were trying to get close enough to see the action.

We'd been watching all day so we had a great, front row spot and were so excited for the main attraction!

The race began and as they horses came around the turn in front of us there was a flurry of excitement and then all of the sudden they were gone! It was over so fast and like they say, the Kentucky Derby is the fastest two minutes in sports.  

As soon as the race was over the stands cleared pretty quickly.  We hung around for one more race and then called it a day.  It was a wonderful experience we had an absolute ball...wind, rain, Mint Juleps and all!

When we got back to the car I was able to check through my phone and saw this sweet picture of my three.  All wearing their hats and watching the derby back home. They couldn't wait to ask us all about it when we got home the next day!  

Whether or not we go back next year, I will be putting my hat to good use. You better believe I'll at least host a derby party so everyone can get all dolled up, show off their hats, and drink a few Mint Juleps or Lillys in honor of the Kentucky Derby!

Follow us on Pinterest HERE.

Follow us on Instagram HERE.

Follow us on Facebook HERE.
Follow us on Twitter HERE.

Kentucky Derby Weekend

Last weekend we attended the Kentucky Derby for our first time ever and had an absolute blast.  The weather down south decided to get cold and rainy so the weather wasn't ideal, but we made the most of it and still had a blast!  It was a wonderful long weekend away with old and new friends and we loved the experience.  We left on Thursday afternoon and were ready for a good old fashioned road trip.  We all rode together in a large van and it was about a 6 hour drive.  

We stopped for snacks, ice cream, and pit stops along the way.  It was pouring rain most of the drive, so it made for a longer trip that we had anticipated, but we made it there safely and were all ready for a nice dinner that evening.  

The next morning we were up bright and early and ready for zip lining in a mega cavern.  This old, abandoned mine now holds many adventures like zip lining and biking through the caverns.

image source

 I've zip lined before, but never in a cavern underground and it was so neat. It was a little nerve wracking at times to know we were under ground and also 70-90 feet above ground as we were zipping, but our guides were amazing, calmed all of our nerves, made jokes along the way to keep us laughing.  We weren't able to bring phones so I had no pictures of us actually zip lining, but we did take one of some of the girls after to prove we were brave.

After a few hours being adventurous we decided it was time for some rest and relaxation.  While the guys had lunch and were off to play golf (that they didn't end up playing due to the rain) the girls in our group visited the spa. We were in awe of the gorgeous roses all over the hotel.

After our time at the spa we went hat shopping!  None of us had hats yet because we knew we'd be doing this together as a group.  That was an experience in and of itself.  I'll just say these hat designers are pretty serious about their hats.  We were allowed to try on as many as we would like, but we were asked not to touch them so we had to have assistance with that.  Interesting to say the least.  However, there were tons of different options for us to choose from.  Everything from fascinators with feathers and butterflies, headbands with florals galore and wide brimmed hats adorned with all of the above.

Everyone ended up finding something that would coordinate with their dresses and I was so excited about mine.  I had really wanted a real hat and thought it would look best with the dress I had picked out.  A few weeks ago I found a white Lilly Pulitzer dress that was a steal at TJ Maxx and I had planned to carry a seersucker clutch.  When I saw this hat with the seersucker detail I was sold!

My girls wanted to see a picture so I sent this to them and then they sent me back a picture of their hats.  My mother in law had gotten hats for them to decorate with flowers, which was the cutest project ever!

Before heading back to the house we grabbed a quick round of signature drinks!  I'd never had a mint julep before so it was a treat. 

Be sure to check back tomorrow to read all about our day at Churchill Downs and our first hand experience at the Derby!

Follow us on Pinterest HERE.

Follow us on Instagram HERE.

Follow us on Facebook HERE.
Follow us on Twitter HERE.

Fashion Fix: Dressing for the Derby

In just a few weeks the Mr. and I are going to be heading to Louisville, Kentucky to attend the Kentucky Derby.

image source

I could not be more excited about this trip.  It's like this sporting event was meant for me!   With its rich traditions deeply rooted here in the south, its every preppy girls dream!  From donning beautiful spring pretty dresses, topping it off with a stylish hat and sipping on mint juleps all day, I can already tell I'm going to love pretty much everything about the derby.

I've done a lot of reading and research about the derby and was surprised to find that the Kentucky Derby is the longest running sports event in the United States. Over the years, many traditions have formed, but dressing for the derby has stayed the same.  Beautiful spring dress in pretty pastels, florals or bright colors are sure to make you derby ready and no matter what style you choose, something preppy to express your inner southern belle is a must.  

Quite possibly the most popular tradition associated with the derby are the hats!  Wearing a hat at the derby is supposed to bring good luck so that is how that tradition began! High fashion, style and elegance can be seen all over Churchill Downs.  I'm probably most excited about this part of getting dressed up for the derby.  When I was a little girl I LOVED wearing hats. I would always look forward to Easter so I could wear an Easter hat to church and sadly this is a tradition that has kind of died.  I have the fondest memories of my grandmother helping me embellish my Easter hats with silk  flowers.  

The verdict is still out on just what I'm going to wear, but thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite combinations I've found so far.  I know lots of people attend derby parties so hopefully this will help give everyone some inspiration.  You can see my Pinterest board HERE with lots of fun ideas!  

Loft has this pretty one shoulder eyelet dress in pink fizz and it so feminine. I just love the ruffle at the top and the scalloped hemline! 

I thought it would be perfect paired with THIS blush pink hat.  That bow is so pretty and preppy and I like the idea of a monochromatic ensemble in different shades of pink. 

There is nothing quite as classic as a white dress and this Lilly Pulitzer lace one with fringe detail at the waste makes it unique.

Navy and white is one of my favorite color combinations so I think this hat would go well with the white dress and be the perfect classic style for the derby.

Vineyard Vines is actually the official clothing sponsor of the derby and they have such cute things for the big day.  I just love everything about this Run for the Roses dress paired with the straw hat and seersucker bow.  

Lastly, this lovely Lilly Pulitzer print is so bright and fun for spring. The colors are so vibrant and I love the pink detail on the neckline.  

Paired with a simple hot pink hat, I think this would be a darling derby day outfit! 

And let's not forget about the guys!  The Mr. isn't usually one to dress overly preppy, so I'm super pumped to see him in seersucker and a bowtie.  How handsome would any guy be in some of these?!

Click picture to see more details.

I'd love to know...are any of you attending the Derby this year?  Anyone going to a Derby party?

Follow us on Pinterest HERE.

Follow us on Instagram HERE.

Follow us on Facebook HERE.
Follow us on Twitter HERE.