Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Adult spring break...


I have been living for this week. Absolutely living.

And now it's here. And it's good. Praise the LORD!

It's spring break for me, and I have never been more grateful for a week to get my life in order. After two days at the house, things are pretty clean. I've cooked a decent meal for my husband. Laundry is done. I'm feeling sane again.

It's the little things, right? Here's to a fantastic week, and lots more updates...

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones


Monday, March 24, 2014

A March Maven...

Well hey there y'all...

Few things make me happier than coming home to fun mail or a little package! And when it's new nail polish or makeup from Julep Maven, I get extra excited for some reason!




If you want to join my Julep love, you can sign up here and get a free box with the code "FREEBOX"  (and total disclosure, that's my referral link!)

I'm excited for this month and April - I'm getting April for free using my referral points. That's what I can fun!

Here's to fun spring nails!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Today's the day... FROZEN!

Today is the DAY!!! I am so excited. Disney's Frozen is finally out on DVD and Blu-Ray today.... and you can guess what I'll be snagging on my lunch break! I'm so excited!

Can you guess why? Three reasons....


Olaf!


Elsa!


Sisters conquering the world!

Have you seen Frozen? Will you be buying it? Renting it? Netflix-ing it?

I'll actually be buying two copies, and surprising my favorite little cousins with a copy in the mail. I can't wait to hear from them after they watch it!

Mr. Jones asked how many days straight we will be watching this... it's going to be quite a few!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Monday, March 17, 2014

Menu Monday: Pinterest Style

I finally remembered to share some of what I've tried on Pinterest lately! I haven't been incredibly productive on Pinterest, but I think that the gardening season being almost upon us will help get me back in the swing of things.

Without further adieu, here are some fabulous new Pinterest finds!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza Sticks


Delicious, easy and different than a normal pizza. Yum.

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Parmesan Garlic Knots

 

Simply heavenly, and the perfect side for any meal. I'm in love with these, obviously.

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Have you tried any new recipes from Pinterest that I need to check out?  Have a great day everyone!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A new Starbucks love...

Last week, we had a rough morning. The power went out around 3 a.m. and while it didn't wake me up, it wasn't quite a peaceful morning trying to get ready. I was afraid of opening the fridge to find lunch in case power didn't come back on quickly...

So I tossed my hairdryer in the car, grabbed my keys and headed out.

Starbucks was my saving grace on numerous fronts that morning. In addition to a breakfast sandwich and my venti non-fat mocha... I found this little treat and tried it for the first time for lunch.


The protein bistro box was pretty darn good, and saved me time at lunch on a busy day. I'll be getting more in the future on crazy days I bet!

Check it out if you haven't already! Just another thing to love (and spend my little budget on) at Starbucks.... go figure, right?

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A little note from EB...

Woof!

Well hello there. Mom disappeared to work early this morning, so I thought I'd steal her laptop and have a little fun today. 

It's almost time for spring and a haircut, according to my Mom... but I'm still loving the lazy mornings and blankets on a cold day. Really. This was me a little earlier. And Mom and Dad think the bed is theirs. Ha!


When I do finally wake up, I like to wander around the house, and I take over all my favorite spots. No blanket is safe.


Now I'm going to go curl up somewhere else and sleep some more. And maybe go eat a little too. We'll see. Y'all have fun today....

XOXO,
Eve Belle

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Social Sunday: Pinterest Love


It's a fun Pinterest-themed Social Sunday this week, so I had to join here. Learn about my favorite pins! :-)

1. What is your favorite outfit pin?
Searching for this, I have to admit, I don't actually pin outfits. I pin items. so... nothing to share for this one!


2. What is your favorite food pin?
I found these fabulous parmesan garlic knots on Pinterest a few weeks ago, and I've made them twice. They were so easy and awesome!



3. What is your favorite wedding pin?
Yeah, don't really have one of these. Our wedding was more than five years ago!

4. What is your favorite DIY/craft pin?
I'm proud of this pin, because it's one of the only things I've created and shared on Pinterest! I love my earring display frame!



5. What is your favorite quote/verse/lyric pin?
There are too many of these! So I'm sharing two, one from my 2012 board, and one from my 2013 board!



6. Share one more random pin you love!
I have a "Disney Love" pin board that is my absolute favorite. It always makes me happy when I find something to pin it too!


Follow me on Pinterest here - and happy Social Sunday!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Which Frozen character are you?

Oh y'all....

BuzzFeed has done it again, so I had to share. They made a new quiz, and it was RIGHT up my alley.

Enter "Which Frozen Character Are You?"

Go. Go do it. Now.

Who am I? One I didn't expect, but had to laugh at....


XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Thursday, March 6, 2014

The March Must-Reads...

I use Grammarly's plagiarism checker because I value my words and writing, and the 
posts of all my blog friends. Copy-cats are not nearly as cute as the original, you know!


***
I told you I'd gotten to read a good bit this past month, and it has been fun to lose myself in a few good books during time on the road or quiet nights at home - and occasionally a few lone hours in a coffee shop!

Here's what I've discovered and what I thought....


I kept seeing this book in my e-reader (aka my iPad mini) and I kept thinking I had read it but I couldn't remember the story. So, one day I opened it up, realized I hadn't read it and flew through this sucker. It was great and fun and flirty - all those things you need on a cold and boring winter day for sure. Our lovely main character is Olivia Matthews who has arrived at her best friend's fab wedding and everything is welcome but her... then she meets the best man, Edward. He is a dream, and she decides she wants to make him fall for her. The entire thing had me smiling and laughing and all that jazz. A great read all around, and I would highly recommend it for a fun spring read!

Jennifer Rae did a great job with “Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid” and the book was light and fun and easy to read. It’s 224 pages, so not a hard read but long enough to keep even me engaged with the book! Available for $1.99 on Kindle here // Read via NetGalley.


Heather Long's "Some Like It Royal" just made me grin from ear to ear, and I think I read the book in under 20 hours. It was fun, easy to read and hard to put down. Long creates a whimsical and down-to-earth story with a solid plot, and fantastic characters. Who doesn't want to read about Alyx, a waitress living out of her car, being surprised by a handsome self-made billionaire and told that she is royalty - and a princess, to boot. Alyx needs stability, and Daniel needs a blue-blooded fiancé to open doors he can't for himself - even with a whole lot of money. So Alyx agrees to play the role……… and at some point, things between the couple change. Somewhere along the way, things get complicated and they fall in love. It's a predictable outcome, but one that you will enjoy arriving at all the same. I'd highly recommend this book. At just $2.51 for 151 pages of fun on Amazon, you're coming out ahead in the end, I think! This is one of those books that was so enjoyable, I think I may wind up reading it again over spring break while curled up in a hammock enjoying a glass of wine. You know what I mean, right? Needless to say, I'm a fan.

Check "Some Like It Royal" out on Amazon here. And I challenge you to NOT sing Lorde or whoever's song every time you think about the title of this book! // Read via NetGalley.


Last but not least, I read "Billionaire" by Juliette Jones. This one was interesting. It's a cross between "50 Shades of Gray" with a lot better writing, and a better plot overall! Sweet little Lila Carmichael wants to find a job in publishing, and someone she gets an interview to be the assistant for billionaire publishing and everything else tycoon Alexander Wolfe. They are instantly attracted, manage to hook up before she ever starts working for him, and he falls MADLY, MADLY, MADLY in love. Things are both sweet, bumpy, and lovable from there. I think the story is more authentic than anything "50 Shades of Grey" ever managed to produce. The authenticity and cool narrative may come from the fact that you hear from the points-of-view of both main characters throughout the book.

As the preview on Amazon states so eloquently, "Set in New York and Paris, Lila and Alexander's connection is a whirlwind of lust, love, jealousy and obsession. Will they find their happily ever after?" Hehe. Can you guess if they do or not? I do believe the last quarter of the book was the best, so if you get it, be sure to make it until the end. Aside from a poker game tryst that I could have done without reading, this was an overall great read.

I got really excited at the end when I read that "Billionaire 2" was already in the works at the end of the book! Available on Amazon for Kindle at just $2.99 for about 300 pages. Fun, sweet and sexy read. Recommend for sure. // Read via NetGalley.

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Monday, March 3, 2014

Back in the swing...

Well hello there.

So, yep, I only wrote four times in the month of February. And despite February being a short month, that's kind of sad.

I miss writing. I miss blogging. I miss the fun connections and plans that this place helps me create and keep.

February kicked my butt. We are three days into March, and I'm determined to get a grip. I need to take control of my time and my life again. And set a few priorities.

Who has been there? Any tips? I feel like it's a daily struggle sometimes. But I will get it right, and soon.

About the only thing I made time for in February was travel (one work trip and one vacation with my darling husband) and reading (like, 10-12 books worth). So there was some good, but the time in between was sorely lacking in balance.

Here's to a fantastic month, and many more posts to come!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Saturday, February 15, 2014

A little Taco Bell dinner delight...

When an ice storm hits Alabama (yes, you read that right), and your plans are all delayed, what do you do? You use the fantastic Taco Bell sauce package CrowdTap sent you, and have a Mexican date night in with your husband!


I actually wasn't sold on these Taco Bell sauces when they arrived. I remembered the mild sauce from years ago, but wasn't too excited about the other three bottles... Well, I was wrong.

I tried all but the "Fire" sauce, and they were wonderful. My favorites were the "Mild" (still!) and the "Verde Salsa" which was a pleasant surprise! Mr. Jones even did four small tacos, and featured a different sauce on each one. He said his favorites were "Fire" and "Verde Salsa."



These fun little bottles (they aren't huge - and they run about $2) really spiced up our night and let us try some new things on each taco. I'm always game for a simple dinner that tastes great - and let's you have a little fun!




Are you a Taco Bell fan? I know some friends who hoard the little sauce packets, and with these new offerings, it looks like the days of hoarding sauces will be gone! I highly recommend - go try them!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Book Reviews: A Year of Wedding Novellas

Well, as I've been on the road and reading a little bit at night's lately, I stumbled across a great year-long series on NetGalley and wanted to share my thoughts with all of you!

I'm usually a sucker for a long book that I can get lost in, because I read quickly. But I wanted to give the "Year of Wedding Novellas" a shot, and I fell in love with them. I'm ready for the next set of them to be released on NetGalley, because they were that much fun to read! As Zondervan, the Christian publishing house, promotes these fabulous little fiction stories: "A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed." So much fun!


A December Bride, written by Denise Hunter, was the very first "A Year of Weddings Novella" that I read, and I wasn't sure what to expect at first. I'm not always a novella or shorter novel person. I love to get lost for a long time, but with the level of busy I have been, this was perfect to keep me reading! The story of Layla and Seth and how an accidental engagement became a real one was almost comical at times. When the phony news makes Layla's professional life a lot better, Seth plays along to see if he can win his long-time crush's heart for real. It's a cute story of a Christmas love. Available now on Amazon Kindle for $3.63.


I loved A January Bride by Deborah Raney! Madeline Houser is a successful novelist, and accepts an invitation to visit and write at a friend's neighbors charming bed and breakfast while her house is overrun with carpenters and workers fixing problems. Arthur owns the B&B, and has been leaving notes to Maddie who is using the main part of his B&B as an office during the day. She writes back, knowing she may be falling for the old man who runs the place. Imagine her surprise when he isn't an old man, but a handsome man just her own age... the only problem becomes if he is truly over the passing of his late wife. As a writer myself, I loved the writing aspect of notes and books in this novella. It was so fun to read about! Available now on Amazon Kindle for $3.63.



A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant was my second favorite of all of the "A Year of Weddings Novellas" that I have read so far! Allie left the love of her life at the altar because she was afraid of her destructive family history. When they are thrown back together for a Valentine's Day wedding, the reader isn't sure if sparks will fly or if there will just be more heartbreak for the duo as they take part in wedding festivities. Marcus, it seems, has never stopped loving Allie. Having to walk down the aisle together in his sister's wedding should have been a piece of cake as they would have been married themselves already.... but after being left at the altar, Marcus isn't sure what to think about his feelings now! Loved this book, and Allie and Marcus were an easy couple to read about and love! Available now on Amazon Kindle for $3.79.


A March Bride, by Rachel Hauck, was my favorite out of the December-May wedding novellas. Why? I absolutely adored to royal twist to the plot. American Susanna is three weeks away from marrying a real-life king, Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. When the government of Brighton demands she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, she has second thoughts on losing one of the only things she was going to retain from her old life. Heading home mere weeks before the wedding to see family, and try to thing things through, Susanna struggles with her decision. Nathaniel decides to take matters into his own hands, and sets off for St. Simon's Island, Georgia to see his bride-to-be. This story was so much fun to ear - and it was  the perfect little escape of a novella from our winter weather right now! Available on pre-order from Amazon's Kindle for $3.79; available Feb. 25, 2014.


An April Bride by Lenora Worth was one of those great books that made you think "what if?" Sweet Stella is all set to marry her longtime love Marshall when he is injured serving his country overseas. He wouldn't let Stella come to see him, and he didn't return until four weeks before their wedding date. That's when Stella finally learns the truth from Marshall. He had a traumatic brain injury, and doesn't remember any details of their lives together. With just four weeks to figure out what to do, the pair sets out fall in love again - but is it enough time? I loved following along to se what happened to this sweet couple in this novella! Available for pre-order on Kindle for $3.79; release date is March 25, 2014.


A May Bride, by Meg Moseley, was just precious. I loved the relationship the main character, Ellie, has with her sister, and how that secondary plot plays out. Ellie had always dreamed of her perfect wedding. When she finally fell in love with Gray Whitby, everything is ready when he proposes, until a falling out between her already-engaged sister and her mom, her mom refuses to pay for the wedding as promised. Ellie decides to hand her wedding account over to her sister. Gray, understandably, gets mad that she didn't consult with him, and their relationship and pending wedding is almost derailed. I loved this book. Perfect for a spring read when we are all dreaming about warmer weather too. Available for pre-order on Kindle for $3.79; release date is April 22, 2014.

Hope you enjoyed these! I hope I'm back to share more soon!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

{2014 Olympics} I'm getting excited...



It's almost time for one of our favorite events. We are going to blink, and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are going to be here!

Are you a fan of the Olympics? Winter? Summer? Both? While I know more about events that are in the Summer Olympics, I find the Winter Olympics absolutely fascinating because it is all of the things I don't know. I didn't grow up ice skating or even knowing what curling was - unless you were talking about hair!

I'm most excited about all of the ice skating. It's so fun to watch. I watched the US Championships in Boston on TV a few weeks ago, and oh, it was so fun to get to know the stars of this upcoming Olympics. The drama. The intrigue... it's so fun!

I mean, who remembers what the big story was 20 years ago at the Olympics? Does this ring a bell?


I loved this story about the anniversary. I was a little girl when I watched Nancy Kerrigan, and remember staying up to watch those opening ceremonies on the pull-out couch in the play room at my parents' house. It is one of the first memories I have of the Olympics!

Are you excited for Feb. 7 and the Sochi Games to arrive? How much time will you spend watching? We'll try to watch everything we can, that's for sure.

As the adorable mittens I bought my husband say, "GO! USA!"

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Which Disney princess are you?


Yes, this is a serious question. I took the quiz, and while my husband guessed offhand that I would be Ariel, when I read him Belle's description above, he laughed and said "Yep, that's definitely it."

Go figure right.

Check out this fun quiz and let me know what Disney princess you are! :-)

XOXO and HAPPY WEEKEND,
Mrs. Jones

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Getting cozy this winter...

Y'all know when it's winter, and you're feeling a little blah, and you want to give your home a pick-me-up? I know, I know. We've all been there.

Well, I was so excited when Cozy Wall Art contacted me in late 2013, and offered to let me check out one of their products! I opted for wall art, and there were so many choices! It took me a few weeks to select the item, and I went with the Damask No. 1 decal.

It totally made our master bathroom pop when we added our white decal to the tan walls. It's simple, and classic, and I think I am going to add a little bit to it with sconces or something in the future.

So without further adieu, what do you think of our Cozy Wall Art?



They have added personalized name decals since I selected mine - LOVE this! And from what they've mentioned, monograms may be in the not-so-distant future. Y'all know I'll freak out about that and add a few around our house!

It was so easy to put on the wall. Took under 10 minutes, and I was done! Just peel the backing, place it, and slowly peel the other backing off!

Check out Cozy Wall Art here, and believe me, I'll be crowing when they have monograms out. I will have to limit myself to one or two though!

Have a fantastic night, and I'll be back with more tomorrow!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones

{Wordless Wednesday} My thoughts exactly...


Monday, January 27, 2014

Wrapping up Christmas....



It's finally time to wrap up the Christmas posts. Only a month late.... oops. Christmas was fantastic, and I loved every single minute spent with family. My darling husband and I had a blast on our time off together. I wish Christmas came every 3 months of so instead of once a year. It'd be so nice.


My parents' house is always so beautiful for the holidays. Mom got a new tree this year - flocked for the first time - and it is just so beautiful!


Brett and EB had lots of fun together on the couch while everyone opened presents! EB loves to open presents in bags - tissue paper is her friend....



That's all from us for Christmas 2013! Here's to continuing the wonderful year 2014 has started out to be! Happy New Year, again!

XOXO,
Mrs. Jones