Cheers to Five Years {GIVEAWAY!}

Cheers to Five Years!!

Wednesday we officially kicked off our month long celebrated to our five year blog-iversary. The kind ladies of Findlay Rowe were celebrating their 8 year store anniversary and asked if we wanted to combine efforts and host one big bash. Was that even a question?!

And one big bash it was!



We had a blast chatting all things Fall, trying on the latest fall styles, eating from the world's best charcuterie board, shopping, and toasting with champagne. Because is it really a celebration if champagne isn't involved.

We had a blast celebrating with Audrey, Barbara, and their team. We are all beyond thankful for each and every one of you and the support you have shown us all over the years!!

Here's a quick peek at all the fun that was had, and a closer look at some of the goodies Findlay Rowe has on hand to get you ready for Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and everything in between!

(Side note: we are always so amazed at how quickly they change over their store and how many new items make their way on the floor each day!)

PARTY TIME & FALL FUN!

(Stay tuned for this Harvest Punch recipe because it was SO GOOD!)

Findlay Rowe has a HUGE selection of entertaining serving pieces and their charcuterie boards are all so fun and unique!

And these dips they have on hand we couldn't restock fast enough! They are out of this world yummy! The Bacon Pepper Dip is a constant crowd favorite. 

There was a Barefoot Dreams trunk show going on as part of the party and we thought the rep just looked darling in her cozy cardigan. If you haven't tried Barefoot Dreams on, yourself a favor - drive over to Findlay Rowe ASAP and just touch it. You will be a goner for life! 

It's. Just. That. Good. 

A certain one of us might have come home with a new pajama set. Sorry, not sorry Mr. Magnolia. ;) 

| Jumpsuit | Jewelry |

The jewelry section was probably one of the biggest hits (and most crowded sections) of the party! And a special shoutout to the ladies of InspireDesigns who surprised us when we arrived with styled sets of jewels to wear for the party. LOVE!!

| Dress | Jewelry | 

These hoop earrings also might have made it home with one of us. They are just such a statement piece, but so light! 

If you are local, stop in and see this gorgeous line from Ronaldo!! The ladies are giving away a bracelet this month! The winner gets to pick any bracelet of their choice valued up to $132! 

Each bracelet has a unique story and we just love all the pieces! Definitely one to keep your eye on to have on hand to wear daily or to dress up any outfit. We can't wait to get our hands on more! 

Kendra Scott as always is a winner! 

But we died over some of the new pieces and their unique shapes! 

We loved this "Mommy Trick-or-Treat Bag" that we curated as a potential giveaway. It would make for a great gift idea or teacher's gift if you need one for Halloween! 

(See what won below!)

These leopard Corkcicle stemless cups were the biggest hit! Animal print is totally on trend right now, so if you need a gift idea this would be it! 

AN ANNIVERSARY GIFT FOR YOU! 

The ladies of Findlay Rowe are always so generous! We all just couldn't resist picking out a little anniversary gift for YOU! We curated two different giveaways during the party and as asked on Instagram Stories and in-store, which one you guys would want as a giveaway. It was a close call, but our "Fall Entertaining" set of goodies won out. We are literally swooning over each and every item in this giveaway!

One lucky reader will receive...

1 - Beatriz Ball Melamine Oval Platter

1 - Small MudPie Cheese Board

1 - CapriBlue Candle

2 - Leopard Stemless Wine Cups from Corksicle

 2 - Hot Skwash Velvet Pumpkins from Love Feast Shop 

(Total gift values at $175!!)

Entries open until Sunday, October 6th at midnight. Winner will be drawn randomly and announced on October 7th based upon verification. Winner be a U.S. resident, over 18, and respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen. 

Enter below as well as on this post on Instagram!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you love most about Fall? 

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Christmas Novels to Get You in the Holiday Mood

This post was sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Harlequin. 

We know, we know...it's only the beginning of October. But really, Halloween and Thanksgiving are delaying the inevitable. The minute our calendars flip to October, we break out our coziest of pjs, light our favorite evergreen scented candles, mentally begin planning for all things Christmas, and soak in all the holiday joy that is socially acceptable two months before the official season begins. Some people prefer to discreetly listen to Christmas music behind the safety of their ear buds, or re-watch their favorite holiday movies while sipping their favorite peppermint tea, but we like to kick off our holiday season with a stack of Christmas novels.

There's nothing better than curling up with a cozy blanket, a good glass of wine, and a heart warming Christmas read to get us in the holiday spirit. Harlequin Books always has the best selection of holiday novels. This year we were given the opportunity to get a sneak peek at two new releases before they hit shelves on September 24th. So, the AC might still be running in our homes, but these holiday reads have us all sorts of in the holiday mood (in more ways than one!).

COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Best selling author RaeAnne Thomas is one of those writers who just gets crafting the perfect holiday read. Her ability to weave heartwarming and emotional stories mixed with a little romance and a whole of of Christmas magic make her the Romance book author you need to put at the top of your "must always read" list. Coming Home for Christmas hits all the marks, and will be the one you want to gift to all your girlfriends so you can discuss it over the next girl's night out.

From The Back Cover...

Hearts are lighter and wishes burn a little brighter at Christmas... 

Elizabeth Hamilton has been lost. Trapped in a tangle of postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents, she couldn’t quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful kids...until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life. And when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie’s laugh, the baby powder smell of Bridger and the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, Elizabeth worried that they’d moved on without her. That she’d missed too much. That perhaps she wasn’t the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she loved them. But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than anything Elizabeth could have imagined. As they all trim the tree and bake cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer. Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning? 

A WEDDING IN DECEMBER 

Romance. A Christmas Wedding. ASPEN! Sarah Morgan just gets us. A Wedding in December features a cast of lovable characters that you can't help but cheer for. We laughed, we cried, we laughed again. If you are looking to sneak in a little time for yourself and get lost in some holiday magic, then this is the book to put at the top of your list!

From The Back Cover...

This funny, charming and heartwarming new Christmas novel is USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan at her festive best! 

In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie’s whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland. 

Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good- looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans... 

Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived— how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget! 

We just adored both of these stories, and already can't wait to sneak these fun holiday romance books into our fellow women's fiction lovers stockings this Christmas! We love gifting books for the holidays, but reading these two great picks has gotten us to thinking... Instead of a cookie exchange party this year, how do we all feel about a holiday book exchange party? Count us in!

Learn more about the authors: 

RaeAnne Thayne
| Website | Facebook | https://twitter.com/raeannethayne | Pinterest |

Sarah Morgan
| Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |

Do you have a favorite Harlequin romance book or Christmas novel that gets you in the holiday mood? Share with us! 

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Book Club: October

Happy Hotober friends! Can you even believe it's October? It doesn't feel like it, but our calendar keeps saying to us, "It's official, Fall has arrived!". 

September was a fun month, it was like extended Summer. Even more so because we both had Fall Break thrown in the mix, which we promptly celebrated at the beach. 

And when there's beach in our lives, there's books. Which brings us to today's post...

BOOK CLUB! We'll get right to it because already October is shaping up to be a busy one. It's our five year blog-iversary and we have all sorts of fun things planned for YOU this month so continue to be on the look out! 

But first, grab your wine and let's chat all things books. 

WHAT WE READ...

CARRIE BETH

First up for me is something I'm reading with my daughter...

We've gotten into a routine of reading together most nights. You see, she doesn't love to read so I have been trying to find a book that would excite her and keep her wanting to flip the pages.  I loved reading the Harry Potter series when I was in college and tried to get my oldest to read the books a few years ago, but she just didn't dig it.  I suggested it to my other daughter a few weeks ago and she resisted, but I told her I would read it with her so she liked the idea of that.  We began reading it, alternating pages and she was sucked in like I remember being when I first read it.  She's excited to finish the first book so we can watch the movie and then start on book number two!

This month I got back on the Audible train and I'm loving it. Listening back to back to back every chance I get.  I read Class Mom by Laurie Gleman last year and thought it was cute so decided to give her next book in the series a try.  You've Been Volunteered follows along with the same characters and revolves around volunteering at school for PTA duties.  As a current Co-President of our school's PTA I could 100% relate to this book. It was cute and had me nodding in agreement throughout the book.  Like Gleman's first book, I thought it was cute and entertaining and probably something most moms who volunteer at school could relate to. 

My next listen of the month was Meet Cute by Helena Hunting.  I have read/listened to some of her books before and I have to say they are definitely rated R with tons of romance scenes.  This book was not at all like the other Hunting books I had read.  There were some rated R love scenes, but the book definitely didn't revolve around them and there was much more of a developed plot and characters in this one.  I loved it!  The story was about a young man who suddenly becomes the guardian of his 13 year old sister and his struggles with adjusting to being thrown in that role.  He reconnects with an old friend who helps in a big way with both his and the 13 year old girls' adjustment during this time and they end up falling in love.  It was a sweet story that I would definitely recommend. 

JEN

My reading this month was a little all over the board. I snuck in more reading than normal thanks to a Fall Break vacation that combined itself with a stomach bug. Needless to say all there was to do was read, sleep and pray we would all survive. 

First up...Liv Constantine's The Last Time I Saw You. Last year I read The Last Mrs. Parrish and loved it, so when I saw she came out with a new one I was excited to see if she had another good one. I like her style of writing because her books seem more of a guessing game/whodunit than psychological creepy. She gives you characters that you don't necessarily love off the bat, but in the end you kind of start to champion. Does that makes sense? The Last Time I Saw you was good, and I loved the twist in the end. I think I liked The Last Mrs. Parrish just a little bit more, but this is a great one to put on your list if you like this sort of genre.

Okay, The Rest of the Story is one of those books I picked up because of the cute cover and just skimmed the synopsis quickly before throwing it in my cart. It was in the adult reading section, but after a few chapters in I realized this was a Young Adult novel. In the end it didn't matter though. It was such an adorable, sweet story, and quite possibly one of my favorites I've read all year. If you like your books a little more G-rated and are looking for a great novel to feel good about in the end, then I definitely recommend this one.

Third for the month was The Dinner List. This book has been on my nightstand for almost a year. I feel like tons of people were talking about it so I decided to give it a go...but never did. I'm not entirely sure what to think of this book. I liked the idea of it, and definitely thought it was a unique story, but about halfway through I was like, "Okay let's get to the point? Is this a dream? Real? Why all the weird drama?". Then towards the end, I began to appreciate the novel. It's centered around the idea of that game of "name five people you would want at your dream dinner", and flashes back and forth from present day to past about why one of the characters was asked to dinner. In the end it kind of all raps up in like one sentence. Most people loved this book, so maybe give it a try or sound off in the comments because I'm still kind of torn about it.

Last up for the Month, was Secrets of a Shoe Addict.  Going to warn you about this one up front that it contains rated "R" material, but it also made me laugh out loud several times. It follows a group of women on a band trip with their kids in Las Vegas, and the repercussions of some wild decisions they made there. Each one arrives home with a sum of money they need to make quickly, and they turn to each other for help. I brought this to the beach with me and it was a quick, light and fun read - just what a beach read should be. It's also part of a series, and if they are just as funny as this one then I might be getting some more Beth Harbison books in the future. 

WHAT'S UP NEXT...

CARRIE BETH

I have just started listening to The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer.  This is not the type of book I am usually drawn to. I don't really care for historical fiction because I prefer to "feel" when I read books and not have to "think" too much.  However, this one is told through present and past tense so it keeps my attention and had me hooked from the beginning!  I can't wait to hear more and share about it next month! 

JEN

I started listening to The Turn of the Key on Audible a few weeks ago and am only about halfway through. So this is what I'm going to put down as my first read of October. So far it's everything an October novel should be...suspenseful, mentions of a ghost, and all sorts of making you not want to sleep at night.

What should we put on our reading lists next? 

BOOK CLUB 2019 

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Summer Reading List

Follow along with us on Goodreads!

HAPPY READING! 

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