Five On Friday {READING LATELY}

 Happy Friday Ya'll!! Anyone else doing a happy dance?! I wanted to share a few book I have read lately and one that I plan on reading ASAP plus my favorite new dry shampoo.




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ONE

It Ends With Us was the first Colleen Hoover book I have read. It. Did. Not. Disappoint. I could not put it down. I think I seriously read it in a day. Lilly, the main character,  draws you in to the book just after several pages especially after meeting neurosurgeon, Ryle Kincaid. It Ends With Us tackles some serious relationship issues and leaves you wanting more.




TWO

You will meet Auburn in the book Confess. At 21 she has already lost everything important to her. But she moves to Dallas in order to get what she wants most back. In between she meets an artist, Owen at his art studio. But Owen is keeping a big secret from Auburn. One that could destroy all that she is working towards. I am officially addicted to Colleen Hoover's books after this 2nd one.




THREE

It's no secret that I have been obsessed with WW2 fiction for the last couple years. I seriously can not get enough of the history between the Nazi's and Jews. I would love to go to Germany after reading so many book during that time. But in the mean time I will keep reading. I loved the Baker's Daughter.  Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager in 1945 ,as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie’s doorstep on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands that opening the door would put all she loves in danger. Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying to file a feel-good Christmas piece for the local magazine, and she sits down with the owner of Elsie's German Bakery for what she expects will be an easy interview. But Reba finds herself returning to the bakery again and again, anxious to find the heart of the story—a story that resonates with her own turbulent past. For Elsie, Reba’s questions are a stinging reminder of that last bleak year of World War II.




FOUR

I love all things Charleston and since I can't move there just yet and can only go there once a year for vacation, I love to read anything I can that will make me feel like I am walking on those cobble streets or smelling the bluff mudd. Karen White has several books set in Charleston. I have yet to read The Guests on South Battery but it is on it's way to me!! As the two women's lives become intertwined, both are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths of the past and seek out the courage to forgive.












FIVE

So obviously this isn't a book but ya'll need to run and order this DRY SHAMPOO (for those mornings you are running short on time after not being able to put one of my book recommendations down lol). I have really thin, fine hair and have struggled to find the perfect dry shampoo. Most still make it look oily and gross. Living Proof is amazing!! I could probably go almost 2 days without washing my hair. I would never have dreamed I would be able to go one day without washing my hair. Now I cherish that extra half hour I can sleep in or that workout I can now fit in instead!!

5 on Friday {Fall Faves}

Happy Friday and First day of Fall ya'll. Of course these warmer temps do not feel like fall at all!! I am ready for the cool days, pumpkin patches with the kids, trick or treating in Augusta and camping. Those are just a few of the fun things we have planned. In honor of fall, I thought I would share my 5 fall faves.


ONE
First up is this amazing cardi from the Loft. I have had a love affair with the Loft going on 10 years probably. It is one of my go to places to shop. I have been lusting after several fall staples lately. I am starting with this super soft cardigan in Dusty Rosette.

TWO
To say I am obsessed with this Kentucky Blue gingham top  is not an exaggeration. These designs were born of the designer's  love of ruffles, gingham, and a twist of whimsy. I think she nailed them. Elizabeth is also local, from Lexington and started her own company while still in high school. Can you say girl boss?! This top would be perfect paired with white skinny jeans and worn tailgating at a UK game!!

THREE
Oh how I love a good shoe. I just hate spending a fortune on them. You know so I can buy multiple pairs lol. I have my eyes on these mules by Steve Madden. I would probably wear these EVERYDAY!! The bow on top is the perfect touch!

FOUR
No outfit is complete without some lipstick. My fave shade of Lipsense currently is Bella. You can check out my Lipsense on Facebook (Lipglossary by TraceyB). Tons of great fall colors that will take you into winter. Until the end of September I am offering 10% off. It is the perfect time to try Lipsense if you have not.

FIVE
This leopard coat gets all the heart eyes. There is nothing like a good statement piece and this fits the bill. We are planning a trip to NYC the week before Christmas and I think it would keep me nice and warm with just the right hat and scarf!!

There you have it.....my 5 favorite fall pieces.  We have a busy weekend scheduled. I don't know what I would do with myself if I just sat at home all weekend. I probably would not like it. I get bored easily and don't like to just sit. haha. I hope everyone has a great weekend though!!


PS. Check some of my recent post:
http://sassandclassinthebluegrass.blogspot.com/2017/09/celebrating-11-years.html


http://sassandclassinthebluegrass.blogspot.com/2017/09/rupp.html


http://sassandclassinthebluegrass.blogspot.com/2017/09/thoughts-on-tuesday.html

Celebrating 11 years

This past Saturday, September 16th, Nick and I celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary.

It is so hard to believe that 11 years has flown by. It still feels like yesterday that I was getting ready in my parent's house with my bridesmaids all the while sipping on wine and getting our and hair makeup done. I never felt one ounce of stress that day. I knew I was marrying the man I wanted to spend forever with and well my dad planned it all. Ole Louie wouldn't let my special day got astray. It really was the perfect day. The weather was gorgeous and since our reception was outside that made everyone happy!!  I made reservations for us and found a sitter weeks in advance. I knew if we waited to the last minute we would end up sitting at home .... you know life! lol. Anyway, I had been wanting to try the Hotel Covington for a while. We stayed there back in February after the Fire Ball. If you have the chance to get a room their do it!! The rooms are amazing. I just had a feeling the food would be the same. I was right. It did not disappoint. You can check out their menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner here. We ate inside but next time I want to sit on their patio!! I am ready to go back just for the dessert alone and maybe some more drinks! After dinner we met friends at another new place in the Cov, The Hannaford at Pike + Madison. There are tons of great new spots in Covington to try. I told Nick I am going to start planning monthly date nights. That is one thing I regret the last 11 years. We haven't taken the time for us and sometimes in the mist of the chaos you need some time out with your spouse. Like Nick said we have the next 50 plus years so it's time to get planning!!

RUPP

Meet our newest little furry family member....RUPP! Ya'll know I bleed blue and have been talking about for over a year if we ever get another dog we were naming it Rupp (after one of Kentucky's famous coaches in case you are lost lol. Also Rupp Arena is where Kentucky plays all their home games).

When we found out that Sophie was so sick and we were going to have to say goodbye, I immediately was on the hunt for another golden retriever. I just could not fathom not having a dog nor could the kids. Nick on the other hand wanted to wait a little bit. So the plan was to get the kids a puppy for Christmas. That was until we got home Wednesday without Sophie. I searched and searched for an adult golden retriever. My best friend told me about the breeder she got her golden doodle from who also had golden retrievers. I looked them up on facebook and sent them a message. They were the sweetest people and answered my million and one questions. They had 3 boys left. We wanted a girl so we were going to go with the original plan to hold off til Christmas. But the more I talked to others they liked having a male dog over a girl. So I messaged the breeder some more. By Thursday evening or maybe Friday they had one male left!! Well, as you can see he is now ours!! We drove to Richmond early on a Saturday  morning to see him and bring Rupp home. The kids were smitten and so were Nick and I. He is the perfect addition to the family. Oh, and we had to stop by Rupp Arena for an obligatory picture after Rupp's namesake!!

Thoughts on Tuesday

My biggest thought for today is I am soooo tired lol. I seriously could not get out of bed this morning. Which has put me in a foul mood because that meant I didn't fit in my workout. For some reason that puts me in a terrible mood and it is all I can think about. I started back to carb cycling this month. I am struggling to lose that last 10 pounds. I really want to be on my A game and that includes fitting in workouts and eating according to the plan. I think working 2 12 hours shifts back to back on the weekend kicked my butt. I need to shift my attitude quickly so I don't ruin my whole day. But when you have so little time and you don't know when you might get a workout in it can drive me insane. I work all day and then it is time to pick up kids, do homework, dinner, baths, and clean up the house. By the time I put the kids to bed I am about ready to crash. Nick is also at the firehouse so I will be on my own. This is when I tend to feel like I am drowning. So it is key to kick the negative attitude to the curb!

So on to some things going on lately........Oh my! Where has the time gone? For real, I don't know how my baby boy started preschool last week :( This time next year he will be in kindergarten. This give me all the sad faces. He has grown up so much this past summer. I mean why can't my babies stay little forever? Max started at a new preschool this year. He misses his old teachers and friends but says he likes his new ones! This week they are learning about colors and get to wear that color each day. Today was BLUE day. Easy enough. Hello all our Kentucky gear!!!

Mere is still doing well riding the bus. Although the mornings I am off she has now started to want me to drive her. Sometimes the bus gets to school late and she doesn't like being late (not sure how we are related!! It's in our habermehl blood to run late haha)

Now on to fun stuff. We are planning a possible trip to NYC the week before Christmas. I have pinned so much stuff on pinterest to get ideas on flying with kids (it will be their first time flying) and all fun things to do at Christmas time there. So far it looks like most things will be free that we would want to do like checking out the tree in Rockefeller Center and all the lights and decorations. Of course we will need to ice skate but that didn't look like it cost a fortune and we will probably do the 9/11 museum. But where is the best place to stay that is central and easy to get to everything??

Have a great week!!

Labor Day Weekend

Happy Hump Day friends! Hope everyone had a great LDW! We sure did. We took a road trip to Richmond, KY on Saturday morning for a special pick up ( can't wait to share)! Then that evening Meredith and I worked at our church festival. She needs to get in those volunteer hours since she is a big 4th grader. On Sunday we headed to Augusta to end our summer with one of our favorite events.....the Frog Derby. You can read all about last year's here. Growing up I wouldn't be caught dead touching a frog not even for the frog derby. (it has been going on that long.) I pretty much feel the same way except I suck it up for my kiddos who don't really wanna touch them either haha.

World famous Rotary Burgers....so good they always sell out!! But we made sure to get us one!

We checked out my bestie's new family owned business in town. It seriously is the cutest little coffee spot. So stop in and get you some caffeine , a sweet treat or some lemonade!

Waiting patiently for the Frog derby to begin!