Magnolia Mamas

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Super Bowl Weekend {Part 3}

First up today, we wanted to say congrats to the winner of our Feathered Nest Boutique giveaway!

The winner is Gina Tabor.

You have 48 hours to email us (themagnoliamamas@gmail.com) to claim your prize.

If you have absolutely no interest in the Super Bowl I'm sorry and I've probably been boring you to death this week. Good news is, this is the last post I'll do about it this week! For those of you who have loved seeing a behind the scenes of what it is like at the Super Bowl, today will be exciting!

Sunday morning everyone was so pumped up about the game. We woke up, put on our red and black, and were very excited. The Mr. had bought some Falcon's socks the day before in honor of our little Boo-Boo who is obsessed with "pull-up socks."

Remember a few weeks ago when I helped the girls make Valentine's Day tassel bracelets? I made a game day one for myself, too!

We grabbed an early lunch at Moonshiners and it was the best meal we had all weekend long. The food was SO good, service was amazing and the atmosphere of the restaurant had a fun, southern vibe. We loved it and I would definitely recommend it to anyone in Houston.

Next, it was time for the official Super Bowl 51 Tailgate. There was yummy food, drinks, and lots of live music, including Lady Antebellum.

It was dark and really loud in there so I didn't really bother taking any pics. Next we were ready to check out the stadium and walk around a bit so we made our way over. There were fans everywhere and it seemed to me that the Falcons fans were outnumbering the Patriot fans. We did a little shopping for souvenirs!

Then we found our seats which were in the end zone about 15 rows back. We knew it would be hard to see anything going on at the other end of the field, but we had a good view when they were close to us.

Really, we didn't care though. We were just so excited and happy to be there!

The energy and awe of everyone in the stadium was so high. When the teams were announced it was so loud. Since the stadium has a retractable roof (more on that in a few) they were able to keep it closed since the forecast was calling for rain and that made it even louder in there.

Luke Bryan sang the national anthem and did a wonderful job.

The former President Bush and his First Lady were escorted onto the field for the coin toss. It was so sweet to see them and all of the players seemed honored to shake their hands.

Anyone who watched the game knows the first half was awesome if you are a Falcons fan. We couldn't believe how well they are doing and that we went into halftime with such a huge lead. We thought for sure we had this game in the bag.

More people asked me about the half-time show than anything else about the Super Bowl. I loved it! I have always loved Lady Gaga and feel like she is such a great performer. She puts on a good show and that is what everyone got.

As soon as halftime began the roof to the stadium started opening and I knew that Lady Gaga had mentioned in previous interviews that she wanted to do something from the roof. As they were setting up for the show everyone kept staring at the sky searching for her. Come to find out after the fact that part of the show was pre-recorded, but when she started her decent into the stadium the spotlights focused on her and everyone saw her about half-way down. I have no idea where she came from but it had to be way up high, so for all I know she did come from the roof.

Because of where our seats were we couldn't see the front of the stage, but there was still plenty for us to take in. The lights, the fireworks, the set changes...all of it. I will say though that I loved coming home and watching a video of the full performance, because it was so much better to watch on TV!

The second half of the game just started to get worse and worse. As the Patriots were inching closer and closer to catching up with us our spirits just kind of kept sinking. We couldn't believe how we could have had such a big lead and then to have lost it. It honestly didn't feel real. Going into the first overtime ever in Super Bowl history had to say something about our team though and the fact that we made it there was such an incredible accomplishment. Here's hoping next season will be as wonderful as this one was!

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Super Bowl Weekend {Part 2}

If you missed it, yesterday I shared day one of our time in Houston for the Super Bowl and moving right along, today I'm sharing day 2!

Remember yesterday when I mentioned that we had to wake up at the crack of dawn...3:45 AM to be exact. Well all I wanted to do on Saturday was sleep. Seriously. I did not want to be woken up early and had no desire to set an alarm. It didn't help that we woke up to an overcast day so sleeping was just what I did all morning long.

After a quick workout (with Thomas Rhett and his crew working out in the same small hotel gym...totally crazy and awkward at the same time) we got ready to hit the streets of Houston. Along with all the other Super Bowl fans!

We had commented on Friday afternoon that there didn't seem to be that many people in town yet because everywhere we went was pretty dead. Well that all changed over night because there were people EVERYWHERE!

We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then made our way to the NFL Experience. It was so crowded and so busy, but wen wanted to see what it was all about.

There were a ton of fun exhibits and things to see. Everything from team gear, to the Super Bowl trophy and even a display were you could see all of the Super Bowl rings over the years.

The only problem though were the crowds. We didn't want to wait in line for close to an hour for each exhibit, so we just kind of walked around and took it all in.

There were a lot of fun interactive activities were you could try to catch footballs, kick a field goal, run obstacle courses, etc. The whole time we watched I kept thinking how my kid would have loved to try that stuff and there were a ton of kids trying it out. It reminded me a lot of the College Football Hall of Fame Jen and her family went to not long ago.

We were told by a few of the people working there that we came on the wrong day. Apparently, if we had come during the week you could have walked up to every exhibit, every interactive activity and not had to wait at all. Atlanta peeps...take note. When the Super Bowl is here in a few years, take your kids during the week to experience the fun with little or no wait times. We still had fun being there in the middle of all the excitement and surrounded by fans everywhere we turned!

After our time there we walked back to the hotel and got dressed for the happy hour, dinner and concert that evening.

I wore my favorite black skinny jeans again and this fun top I bought not long ago. I loved that it was a flowy floral print, and I especially loved the lace detail on the back!

Before going to dinner we saw the famous Atlanta Falcons Super Fan, The Bird Lady. She was nice as could be and had no problem snapping a pic with us!

Most of the restaurants we ate at during the weekend didn't seem to be prepared for the crowds that would be in town for the weekend and we experienced long wait times, but good food and dinner was no different this night. After dinner we made our way to White Oak Music Hall for a VIP concert featuring the Goo Goo Dolls and Sting. It was such a neat venue and a great show!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the real reason we were there...the Super Bowl!!!

Monday, February 13, 2017

Super Bowl Weekend {Part 1}

Happy Monday, friends! The Mr. and I were lucky enough to be able to attend the Super Bowl again this year and it was an even more exciting trip because our hometown team, Atlanta Falcons, were playing in the Super Bowl! The week leading up to the big game was so much fun. Everyone around town had Falcon's fever and the schools were doing a lot of fun things to celebrate, too! Everywhere you looked there were Rise Up signs and everyone was showing their team spirit...even our church!

I was really excited about this Super Bowl being in Houston, TX, because I had never been to Texas before! We took a super early flight on Friday morning (my alarm went off at 3:45 AM...seriously the earliest I have ever gotten up in my entire life), but arriving in Houston before 8 AM was nice because it meant we had at the entire day!

We stayed at the Magnolia hotel. Don't you just love the name?! I couldn't have planned that better myself if I tired. It was located right in town where we could walk just about everywhere. The building once served as the headquarters for Shell Oil Company and later became home to the town's newspapers, The Houston Post-Dispatch.

Bud Light takes over an entire hotel for Super Bowl weekend. The entire hotel has special touches added for the Super Bowl and were so fun!

After checking out the hotel and getting our bags stored, we took off for a tour at the Budweiser Brewery in town.

It was so interesting to see all of the different steps and processes to make the beer. We were all bundled because some of the areas are kept very, very cold!

I don't even really care for beer (I've never drank a full beer in my life)...I'm more of a wine or cocktail kind of girl, but I tasted day old beer straight from the finishing tanks.

Side note...the booties in the above picture are some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. I walked in them ALL day long and my feet were still happy by evening. They are definitely my new favorite shoes. Right after I bought them I wore them three days in a row and Blondie pointed out that I wear them every day now, but it is true! The height of the heel is low and there is a great cushion in the shoes to keep my feet feeling comfy. Plus, I love the way they are cut at the top!

After the tour we got to taste several different varieties and I was obsessed with this counter top make from beer bottle glass.

After the tour wrapped up we ate a quick lunch and then went back to our rooms to rest a bit. We were so tired and we knew we had a fun night ahead of us, so we wanted to make the most of it.

I bought a few new things to wear for this trip, and wanted to share some of my favorites. I already told you about my new booties and the outfit I wore on Friday night just goes to show you don't have to spend a ton of money to look cute. ;-)

Before the trip I knew I wanted to find a leather moto jacket to wear at night because it looked cuter than any other coat I had and some of our events were outdoors. I found a few here and here, but really wanted to just find something that I could try on and make sure I liked. I went to my favorite TJ Maxx and spotted this one right away! It was just what I was looking for and it was only $25! Is it real leather? No, but I don't care! It kept me warm and looked cute, so it did the job. Plus, while I was there I saw this blush pink top in the juniors section. I loved the criss-cross in the front and even better was that it cost less than $10! I wore them with my favorite black skinny jeans and black booties and LOVED my outfit that night.

When we arrived at the party that night the Clydesdale horses were out front! They are huge and it was so cool to see the entire hitch.

This party was hosted by Budweiser and it had a country/western theme. It was set up in a huge open air barn and all of the food, decor, and little touches made this event my favorite of the entire weekend.

As we arrived we were given leather koozies and there were people there to personalize them on-site. It as so cool to watch and I love having my monogram on it! Side note, yes, I'm drinking another beer. I drank more beer that day (which wasn't that much) than I had in my entire life, but when you are attending a Budweiser party and that is all they are serving, that is what you drink.

There was BBQ, yummy sides, and salads in mason jars. I could have just ended the trip right there. A monogrammed koozie and salad in a mason jar.

Best.Party.Ever.

Outdoors they had a big field with games like corn hole, giant Jenga, and horse shoes set up. It was really cold this night, but people were still having a ton of fun and there was a great DJ playing music.

Just a little later Thomas Rhett performed and he put on a great show. I love so many of his songs and we had fun dancing the night away.

We left just before the fireworks started because we were all freezing, but we got to see them from the warmth of the bus on the way back to our hotel. Then we crashed! We had been up for close to 20 hours and I was so excited to sleep. Be sure to check back tomorrow because I'll be sharing more of the fun we had in Houston.

Also, be sure to check out our giveaway HERE for this adorable Bless Your Heart pillow from our friend at Feathered Nest Boutique!

Friday, February 10, 2017

Mix & Mingle: Feathered Nest Boutique {Giveaway}

Of all the fun things we do, the "Mix & Mingle" series is one of our absolute favorites! We love getting to share with you a little more behind the scenes look at some of the faces or products you see on our blog.

We've met and become friends with some amazing Mom Bosses through our little slice of internet, and at the top of our list is our friend Kathryn. Kathryn is the owner of Feathered Nest Boutique, which features her amazing Southern Girls Collection. She is located just a hop, skip, and a jump away from our hometowns, and we've put "Take Kathryn out for drinks!" at the top of our must-do list for this year. We just know it would be a good time!

First let's get to know Kathyrn a little bit...

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

I grew up in Fort Valley, Georgia on my family's farm and have called Athens home for the last 20 years. My two kids, Emerson, 17, and Parker, 15, and our five rescue dogs keep me on my toes and make life anything but boring. I'm NOT ready for my daughter to be graduating soon from high school. EEK!

IF YOU COULD VISIT ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD THAT BE?

My happy place is St. Simons Island. I spent vacations there as a kid and with my children as well. I cannot think of anything better than sand, salt air, and Bennie's Red Barn or Barbara Jean's!

WHEN YOU HAVE 30 MINUTES OF FREE TIME, HOW DO YOU SPEND THAT TIME?

I love to read! A few of my favorite Southern authors are Karin Slaughter, Anne Siddons and Charles Martin.

HOW DID FEATHERED NEST BOUTIQUE COME TO BE?

I started Feathered Nest Boutique six years ago after losing both my parents and going through a very rough time. I've battled depression more than half my life but after my parents passed away, I struggled with severe depression, anxiety and panic attacks. FNB was a way for me to focus on creating something positive, having a purpose each day and a way to force myself to interact with people again. I started making purses but soon fell into a passion for monogrammed items.

My dream was to have a brick & motar store but I felt that wasn't obtainable with my anxiety. So I found another option with my online biz. I still prefer to 'hide' behind my screen most of the time but my social-media presence allows me to do more whenever it feels right. Baby steps!

My work space grew from my mother's sewing machine crammed into a tiny closet to a porch-turned-sunroom-turned-studio. It's tiny and overflowing but it's a dream come true!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO BE CREATIVE?

Growing up I was surrounded by strong, creative Southern women who taught me to sew, work hard, and never give up. Whenever I hit a wall creatively or business wise, I think about them and how they would attack it.

My mother was an amazing artist who, in the 1980s, had her own counted cross stitch business. I grew up watching and helping her in her office, warehouse and even at national trade shows. She taught me to strive to always provide the customer with more than they expect. That's why I include my handmade hair ties with every order - my little way of saying thank you!

My daddy was a third-generation farmer who gave me my love of all things Southern. I'm actually in the process of rebranding my business and changing the name to honor my daddy and our family's farm.

In the studio, every day I use my Grandmother's sewing table and my Mama's sewing tools.The mantel in the studio belonged to my other Grandmother. A recycled gate turned bulletin board is covered with photos of my parents and my kids as daily inspiration.

Isn't her work space just darling?! And we love all of her southern and family ties that continue to inspire and influence all that she does with her business.

Now that y'all have gotten to know a little more about Kathryn, we want to share some of her AMAZING products that we just love. When we say this gal knocks it out of the park, we mean it. She makes so many adorable things and puts a southern twist on just about everything she creates. For special occasions or everyday fun, she's always able to deliver a little something perfect for our needs.

Tees & Sweatshirts

No matter what the season or what the holiday, Feathered Nest Boutique has the cutest tops ready to help you be decked out in theme wear. There are lots of monogram options or super cute sayings! These are some of our favorites because they are so comfy, but so cute!

This Pucker Up Buttercup design is cute for Valentine's Day, but also date nights!

And you might remember this that we shared on Instagram before New Years? The off the shoulder sweatshirts look great layered.

This "Bless Your Heart" sweatshirt is one of our new favorites, and has been on repeat lately!

Our Southern souls just needed this in our closets. There's not a day that goes by that this saying - or at least thought - doesn't eek from a southern ladies lips somewhere.

We love that the saying comes in a fun array of other options too (see the Raglan tee, and the Comfort Colors Long Sleeve Tee)!

Can Huggers {AKA Koozies}

If there is one thing we love in the south it is nice cold drinks and therefore, we always have can huggers (or koozies, as I've always called them) on hand. There is nothing worse that having your drink get warm before you finish drinking it.

Kathryn has such adorable gingham koozies with the most fun sayings on them as part of her Southern Girls Collection.

Some are really fun for holidays and events and we just love the tongue-in-cheek-ones she comes up with best!

Stay tuned too because we got some inside information from Kathryn that a few new additions will be made to the collection soon!

Totes Adorbs

Listen what girl doesn't love a good tote? Especially a cute one? Well remember, that adorable "Bless Your Heart" Sweatshirt we mentioned above? It also is available in a tote!

And how cute is it?!?

These totes are large, in charge, and perfect for your everyday needs. It comes in a few different colors, and a variety of options for color of the wording. We love the variety available and think it would make for a great gift!

Monograms & More!

We mentioned that she offers tons of monogram options, but did you know she often combines two of our favorite things?!? Monograms and Lilly!!!

From sweatshirts to appliquéd fleeces to beyond adorable ball caps - she's covered it all!

And one thing that alway stands out to us are the little things. With every order she includes hand tied hair ties and often a little candy or treat as a way to say thank you for ordering from her shop. Those little things make us smile and it is as if she's sending a bit of southern hospitality right along with your order.

***GIVEAWAY***

We're so excited to be partnering with Feathered Nest Boutique to give away this Bless Your Heart pillow cover and can huggers to one lucky reader! To enter, simply leave a comment letting us know something you saw in her shop that you loved! Winner will be announced on Valentine's Day!

To learn more about Feathered Nest Boutique: