Fashionable Friday: Fall into Lilly

Yay for Splash of Pink posting pics & prices of the Lilly Pulitzer Fall 2010 line! One of my favorite things about the Fall lines that is the clothes are usually a little more flow-y and loose fitting. This will def. come in use now that I will be quite heavier around that time.

Here are a few items that I am coveting...

Adalie wrap dress $148


Finn Shift Ponte $188 it also comes in navy!


Jonah dress $168


Lulu dress $198, this dress SCREAMS "wear me to a party"


Conrad sweater $158, I love me a printed sweater with a shape!


Maura top $64, I especially love the shape of this top


I just need to either win the lottery or rob a bank sometime soon so I can purchase each of these items before baby expenses start

Also, where were THESE when I was in school?! I had a stupid L.L. Bean then a North Face bookbag when I could have been styling in a Lilly P!

Wordless Wednesday: RIP OC

I miss this TV show more than even I can put into words. it had great music, amazing fashion and the driest wit I've ever heard from the wonderful Seth Cohen.

some like it hot, some do not

It is so incredibly hot in Eastern North Carolina right now. The worst part of our heat has to be how thick and humid the air is. It truly feels like you could cut the air with a butter knife.
My makeup is melting off my face, my shirts usually have beautiful sweat marks and my hair sticks to my neck, I can hardly stand it. I feel like my brain can't function in this heat!
So, I have been trying to stay indoors, drink plenty of water and pre-cool my car before I climb in it at 6:30 am, yes it is already close to 80 degrees in the wee hours of the morning.


My car's temperature gauge & clock, 79 degrees at 6:47 AM is ridiculous

i'm back and with good news & a promise

I am back from a brief hiatus. And I have news. Surprising news.

I can't believe I am actually typing this but...Josh and I are going to be parents. I am 9 weeks pregnant, baby due February 26. Seriously.
We kept it a secret for awhile since I HATE when girls jump on Facebook the day they get a positive pee stick and are all "I'm going to be a MOM!!". I don't think some people realize how fragile a pregnancy can be and how horrible it would be to miscarry then have the whole world asking you "how far along are you" because they saw what you put on fbook.
It is kind of a surprise for Josh and I, we hadn't planned on starting a family this early. But we know that God has a plan, so we're excited.
I've had night sickness that recently morphed into all-day sickness and I have never been more tired in my life (even when I had mono).


The little blob inside the pink circle is our little raspberry-sized baby. He/She had a heart rate of 166 and measured 1.29 cm.

So please keep Josh and I in your prayers as our little blob of baby turns into an actual human. I have had issues in the past with cysts and other fun things, so I am hoping everything goes well and we're trusting God to take care of me and future baby Edmondson.


Now, despite being pregnant I solemnly swear to NOT turn this blog into a dumping station for complaints about feeling nauseous or a place where I talk about the joys of being a soon-to-be mother and what not. While I will probably talk a little about the trials of puking all day, not enjoying things I usually do (like sweet tea) and how ill I am at the world because of hormones, I won't make the entire blog about it. I promise.

reminder - absence approaching

just a reminder that I'll be in Emerald Isle with most of my husband's extended family until Saturday, so I'll be on a hiatus again until next Monday. see you then!

Football season, 55 days and counting

If you grew up in or around Greenville, North Carolina, you have hopefully been to an East Carolina University football game.
Being a Pirate fan is more like a religion than a hobby. We bleed purple & gold and nothing comes between us and a game. We sit through rain, sleet, freezing wind and scorching heat to watch our Pirates plow the opposing team into the ground or win a C-USA Championship (which we did last year as seen below).


Liberty Bowl bound [shut up, I know we lost]

We have all memorized the chants, know exactly what part of "Purple Haze" signals the Pirates to explode from the pirate ship/locker room and have trained others in the art of cheering for a football team. In fact, Josh and I even used "Purple Haze" as our announcement song at our wedding reception.


Purple Haze.

Not only are we die-hard about the game, we are also hard core about tailgating. We have turned the pastime into an art form. It's always been a saying that "Win or Lose, We Still Booze" or "We pre-game harder than you party" and etc. Tailgates come complete with Pirate flags flying high over truck beds, giant grills, coolers galore and more than enough purple & gold to go around. You can expect to see a few people stumbling their way into the stadium and more than your fair share of beer pong, flip cup or corn-hole games being played.


flipcup at its finest

a little tailgate in Charlotte for the VT game in 2007

I try to explain to other people what it is like to be a Pirate football fan, and I can never do it justice. Being an ECU grad and growing up with a proud ECU alumnus for a dad has led me to love being a part of such a tradition. I think that is why I failed to enjoy UNC-W (besides me failing so many classes for spending more time at the beach than the library). The school by the sea had no football team, so I had no real connection with being a Seahawk. I was so happy to join my fellow Pirates at ECU in 2006, so I could attend the games as student, not a visitor.


My handsome/dorky husband tailgating

So, I can hardly wait to fly our "No Quarter, No Mercy" flags and sing "Hoist the Colors" at the top my lungs come September 5th, and I can't wait to do so along great friends and the thousands of Pirate fans that are going to fill Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to see how our new coach is going to coach this year's Pirates, ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!! :)

yes, i am seriously blogging on a Saturday, pull your jaw off the floor

While at the NSPRA conference I noticed something. We, as a society, have become standing ovation sluts.
We give those things away like chicken nugget samples at Chick-Fil-A.
Not everyone deserves an audience of people erratically clapping as they rise from their seats.
So how do you decide when someone deserves a standing ovation?
I have no idea.
But I do know that the following people do not deserve one (in my opinion):
1) People accepting awards that give a one-minute long "thanks I appreciate it" speech
2) Valedictorians (unless their speech is about overcoming some great feat like being born without vital organs or some other adversity)
3) Paid speakers at events. Sorry, no. You were paid to write a speech, therefore my standing ovation is unnecessary
and the following may cause some controversy...
4) Michael Jackson. Great singer or not HE MOLESTED CHILDREN! come on people.
5) The Jena 6. Now, I do not think that the things that went on at Jena High School should have gone unpunished. But 6 males should not be applauded for ALMOST BEATING ONE BOY TO DEATH. I don't care what color the people on each side of the fight were, or what the boy did to warrant such a reaction. At the BET Awards that year, those boys presented an award, and the audience stood and applauded as they came on stage. People. Seriously. According to the school's superintendent in an interview with CNN, the attack on the guy was a "premeditated ambush and attack by six students against one. The victim attacked was beaten and kicked into a state of bloody unconsciousness."

Let's raise our standards for standing ovations. Not every joe-somebody that accepts an award, gives a speech or walks up on a stage deserves me putting whatever I am holding my lap down long enought to stand up and applaud their existence.

Fashionable Friday: Classy Charlotte, Excellent Events

While I was at the NSPRA conference, we had several events to attend from lunches to upscale dinners and cocktail hours.
Out of all the places we visited (most of which were located in the Epicentre) my favorites were Howl at the Moon and Suite.
One of our vendors sponsored an "after party" at Howl at the Moon, which is a dueling piano bar in the Epicentre in Charlotte. Not only do the musicians rock out great songs on the piano, but also on other instruments. They take suggestions, can play just about anything and make sure everyone in the audience is having a good time. I also loved the mirrored wall behind the musicians where patrons could pay to have various sayings written in window paint. You had to one up the last amount paid to get your saying written. There were things like "here's to being positive, and testing negative" or "NSPRA in Ohio, 2014" and so forth. It was a great time and I enjoyed singing "Piano Man", "I Love Rock-n-Roll", and "Ice Ice Baby" at the top of my lungs with the other NSPRA members. It was such a cool atmosphere with its two bars, tall tables and the pianos taking center stage at the front of the room.


Suite was much more swanky. The Southeast Region NSPRA sponsored the event and fed everyone shrimp & grits, barbecue and other Southern food before we all enjoyed dancing. The club had a great dance floor surrounded by cushioned benches against the walls and an amazing outdoor area. The area outside had cabanas, rattan furniture and a separate drink station. I wish I had pictures of it, but there website is right-click protected :( I really suggest visited these fashionable venues for any sort of event!

i'm back.

sorry for the blogging hiatus, wireless was WAY too expensive to use at the Westin while I was at the conference and my BlackBerry didn't want to cooperate.
I will be away AGAIN next week from Tuesday-Friday so you've only got me today, tomorrow & Monday.

But I had a great time at the NSPRA (National School Public Relations Association) conference. I met tons of new people and connected with several other NC PR people. The seminars left me with new ideas for the website, our press releases and other ways of interacting with the media and our community.
One of my favorite parts of the conference was staying in the Westin.
I love hotels. I love people-watching in the lobby and making up stories about the people I see walking by. I also loved having an entire king-sized bed to myself and a nice room that wasn't filled with dog hair.

This was my room (you can see that Pooh Bear had already made himself at home on the pillow)


The two giant windows were amazing and my city view was great I could see both the cityscape...


....and the Bank of America stadium where the ECU Pirates beat Virginia Tech in 2007 (arrrghhhh! :D )


My shower head was equally amazing.


However, my main issue was with the TV. It got around 40 channels, including 4 ESPN's, but didn't get MTV or ABC Family. Meaning I missed Fantasy Factory, The Hills, The City, Pretty Little Liars & Secret Life. But I wouldn't have seen them anyway since we were at events every night. I'll talk about the awesome venues in tomorrow's blog :)

Fashionable Friday: J Crew card = bad idea

I've been so bad lately with my J. Crew card (shhh, don't tell Josh).
I hit up the J.Crew outlet store in Hilton Head and picked up a few things, but I stayed under $100. The most damage has occurred online.
In the past month I have managed to spend $410 just at J.Crew. Which isn't really that bad if you think about all I've gotten....

The Jackie cardigan in seashore green, such a great color to spice up any outfit



The Lorelei dress in white (i LOVE that it has pockets)ON SALE for $59.99 instead of its usual $98



A ruched V-neck dress in the softest cotton of ALL TIME, ON SALE for $26.00 (usually $59.50!) They no longer have it in the Heather Gray color I got, but this dress is so soft and versatile, I've already worn it to the movies and to work

Solid tie-front halter swing tank top in Bright Pink, I mainly bought this item to wear at the beach around Josh's grandparents AND because I can mix it up with different Lilly Pulitzer bikini bottoms, not to mention it was only $24.99 (on sale from $55)

Linen cotton V-neck pullover in Navy for just $39.99 (like 40% off)

and during the final sale...
The Solid ruched tank one-piece in Antique Violet. I have such a weakness when it comes to a good one-piece AND purple (it's the pirate in me). I got it for $49.99 instead of the current price of $78.

The Palmera Ruffle Cami in Cool Breeze for only $29.99, usually $88.

The printed Palmera Ruffle Cami in Slate, $29.99 instead of $98!! I got this shirt in two colors since I loved the unique design so much AND because I can wear it at the NSPRA convention to the seminars or to dinner.

I even bought something for Josh, this cotton-cashmere sweater in Desert Smoke, I am a sucker for a man in a crewneck sweater with a tshirt and Sperry's and it was available in Tall. For only $29.99 it was quite a steal.

I don't feel too guilty about these purchases because every single item (save for the bathing suits) can be worn to work or elsewhere. I AM feeling guilty about having to hide my J.Crew statement from my husband though...

Wordless Wednesday: I want...I need...

I want....

To buy this: (Marc Jacob's "Singer" one-piece)


To see this:


To read this:


Another one of these:



I need...

A gluten-free recipe for this:


One of these to wear under my pink & white blazer:


Restaurants to carry this:


To tame this creature (sookie, not Josh):

4 day weekends are boss

Because of our 4-10 schedule at work, yours truly had a 4 day weekend.
I should have used said time to do things I've been putting off like painting out kitchen island/breakfast bar or cleaning the tiles in our bathroom, but instead I did absolutely nothing productive.
Actually, I did manage to push the vacuum cleaner around Saturday morning, but that was because I knew my family was coming over to watch the Macclesfield fireworks from my yard and I didn't want the mountain of Sookie hair on the floors to scare them away.
Friday I slept until 1pm then went over to my parent's house to visit my sister. Dee is home from boarding school until the first week in August when she goes to camp before returning to school, so I want to spend as much time with her as I can before she returns to Durham.
Saturday I got up at 9am (Sookie sneezed directly in my face, thus ending all thoughts of slumber) and vacuumed before getting ready and watching "Grown Ups" with Joshua. After the movie we headed to my parents' house where we enjoyed hamburgers & bratwursts with my family and Josh's parents on the back porch, watching the golfers finish their tournament as we ate. Of course afterward we went back to our house to watch the fireworks from our lounge chairs right in the back yard. Sookie was NOT a fan.
Sunday was standard with church, lunch at Mema's (chicken pastry - how much more American can you get?), a looonnnnggg nap then dinner at Josh's grandma's.
Monday was pretty lazy too, I just went to the movies with my family and saw "The Last Airbender".
All in all, a great relaxing, low-key weekend. The best part is that this week is only a 3-day week, then the next week (July 11-16) I'll be in Charlotte for a NSPRA convention and the week after that I only work on Monday before heading to Emerald Isle with the ENTIRE T.Hall clan.

the final weddings

The next wedding I should have attended was Lindsey, my college roommate's on September 5th in Hillsborough. Sadly, my knee was fresh out of surgery and I was still on crutches/in lots of pain. I still get teary-eyed when I think about missing out on her special day, especially since her and Billy made the trip to Macclesfield for mine.
My beautiful roomie & her hubby

Lindsey is model thin and model tall, so I knew she would be beyond gorgeous with her long thick hair in an up-do and wearing a slim white dress.


Wedding #7
The last wedding we attended happened April 24, 2010. So we had a nice break for my knee to heal and for us to rest after hopping around to so many joyous occasions. My other college roommate, Lauren "LP" Payne married Josh's college roommate Ryan Briggs in the OBX, where LP is from. We spent a great weekend at the beach at two beach houses side-by-side with all their friends and some of ours too. The nights leading up to the big day were more like a giant party than a wedding weekend. Ryan and LP's friends are hard core when it comes to partying, so us Edgecombe County people and two of our tailgate friends from WF kind of hung by ourselves.
There was a bridal luncheon on Friday while the boys went to play golf and a great rehearsal dinner at Basnight's that evening followed by a semi-wild shindig later that night. Saturday was great and despite everyone's heavy partying the night before and a little bit of rain, it was a peaceful, beautiful wedding. The reception was wonderful with great music, an open bar and lots and lots of dancing. Josh and I got to show off our shagging (we had just finished lessons that week before) and the last song of the night was "Don't Stop Believing" which our group has always sang together. It was a great wedding and a wonderful way to end the season.



Hope & I, the Edge. County bridesmaids (don't you just die for our dresses?)


Singing Journey at the top of our lungs


A shot of Josh & I, captured by Michelle, that perfectly describes our relationship