Healthy Lifestyle - How I get all 8 Glasses of Water in!

I feel everyone struggles with is getting their daily recommended water intake. I mean, 8 glasses of water a day can sound like a lot - because it is! I envy the people who can just pour a glass throughout the day and by 6pm they’ve reached the suggested amount. I’m the type of gal who had to find tricks to get myself to drink H2o. So if you're in need of some advice on how to get all 8 glasses of water into your daily diet below I mention some helpful tips that I use everyday! 

- Set small goals
If you’re an anti-water drinker you’ll probably struggle to get more than 3 glasses down. So start small, and be proud. Start with 2 or 3 cups and work you way up. 

- Switch up the cup
Something that helps keep me excited to drink water is switching up my ‘water bottle’. Sometimes I’ll match the bottle to the outfit I’m wearing or grab a funky shaped bottle so when I see it, I’ll remember to take a sip.

- Add a vitamin to it
A way I make sure I get my full amount of water needed is by adding a vitamin supplement. Currently, I drink 8oz with a collagen tablet which gives the water a lemon rose flavor but also I know I ‘must’ drink all the water to get that vitamin in for today. Then later in the day when I take my other vitamins I pour another 8oz and remind myself to consume all the water with the vitamins. 

- Flavors help
Add water flavors or fresh fruit if you’re bored of the flavorless water. Water flavors varies from ‘sweet tea’ to ‘lime margarita’. They seriously make a flavor out there for everyone! And fresh fruit you can toss anything from watermelon, berries, to even cucumbers. 

- Ice does the trick too
For me, really cold water is easier to consume than room temperature or Luke-warm water. So I always make sure to add some ice cubes (like the small pellet size from Sonic).

-Remind yourself why you’re doing it
For me, if I tell myself “hey girl, drink this water! It’s going to do wonders for your skin, appetite, weight, and keep you alert to play with Holly” I suddenly get major motivation to drink a little more H2o. Find what will motivate you if its a quote or a goal you want to reach. 

- Reward yourself overtime
The best trick is to reward or ‘treat’ yourself overtime. When I met my 30 day water goal I went and bought a new mascara I’ve been dying to try. I feel keeping a promise to drink water even when you rather have a Coke-a-cola is a reason to celebrate! 

I know these might sound silly or be obvious but the goal is to get the daily recommended amount into yoru diet. If drinking 8 glasses of water is hard for you I hope these tips help!

-Brittney

Cleaning Tips! *Daily Chore Log Idea Too!*

When people visit our home I often hear “This place is so clean… How do you do it all?” Then I get the rundown on how much I have on my daily plate. Which are a lot and I know that.

The mass majority can’t stand cleaning (a good example is my husband) but I’m one of the few who loves to clean. I’m in charge of all the cleaning. Bryce spends all day at the office; it just doesn’t seem right for him to work all day and then come home to do chores. Don’t get me wrong, my job isn’t easy. I’m in charge of tending to Holly all day and night during the week so Bryce can rest, plus all the other projects I have. But I’m very fortunate that Bryce works a job that can support me being a “FTM”.

Anywho, cleaning is the best stress reliever for me. I have a weekly chore log that’s broken into daily cleans. The breaks help so I’m not overwhelmed, doing the same thing every day, and still have my weekends to relax. My cleaning list might not work with everyone’s lifestyle but I’m happy to share for anyone who needs ideas on how to create a cleaning log.

Daily:
Make the beds
30 minute pick up before Bryce comes home and/or pick up before bed
fold bathroom towels after baths

Monday
Laundry
Mop floors
Clean kitchen

Tuesday
Clean bathrooms
Clean towels

Wednesday
Dust
Vacuum
Clean livingroom + office
* Once a month (normally the last Wednesday of the month) I dust the baseboards, crown molding/molding around the doors, etc. This takes a lot of work but its a chore you only need to worry about once a month to get the extra dust. 

Thursday
Recyclables ( I take our recyclables to a center because this Condo we currently live at doesn’t provide recycling; and personally I’m a big supporter of helping the planet)
Clean bedrooms
Clean bedding sheets

Friday
Mop floors
* I try to do the least amount of work on Friday’s so I can relax for the weekend!*

Saturday
This is a day we relax. Bryce normally goes to the gym and I can have “me time”. It’s also a day we head to Destin, Seaside or visit family.

Sunday
Meal plan for new week
Grocery shop for the new week
We mainly relax on Sundays as well. We almost always do our grocery shopping this day but sometimes we bump grocery day to Monday. 

Extra tips: 
- When cleaning an area do everything within that area. For example: when I plan to clean the bathrooms I always throw the bath towels in the wash first. Then by the time I have the entire bathrooms cleaned the towels will be clean/dry as well.

- If you have small children like me do the bulk of your cleaning during their naps. I also knock out some good cleaning when Holly is having her ‘tv time’, eating lunch in her high chair, or when she’s having her “alone play time”.

- Keep the clutter down -> clutter is the root of all evil. We trash and recycle as many items as we can. When clothes and shoes are worn out, we pitch em. If it's something we never wear, we donate.

- If you have a busy week, meal prep or make large portions to have leftovers. Bryce isn’t big on leftovers but I grew up on leftovers. I think for families large portions + leftovers help keep the stress of meal planning under control.

- Do a deep clean day once a month. For people with children try to have a relative watch the kiddos so you can focus on deep cleaning with the products needed. Take advantage of a rainy day to do the deep cleaning too! 


My Cleaning Products:
Here's a photo of the cleaning products I use when cleaning. DISCLAIMER: These products are the ones I select and use. They fit my personal lifestyle and I’m not pressuring anyone to purchase these. 

For cleaning tools, I use the rubber gloves I have shown below (purchased at Dollar Tree!), A few brushes and sponges (from Dollar Tree as well) and some paper towels (We get whatever is on special) and/or some reusable towels.

Places to Visit: Bellingrath Gardens

Recently Bryce, Holly and I went on a small day trip to the Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, Alabama. Let me tell you, this is truly a hidden gem. On 65 acres of land with tons of different and very unique gardens to walk through (something beautiful is blooming all year), a gorgeous home that you can tour to see the countless porcelain collection Mrs. Bellingrath collected, and even visit the small chapel right next door. Don’t forget to have lunch at the Cafe! 
I don’t want to give away all the information of this house but there’s many features that was built for this house that made it "ahead of its time". Also many of the people who still works here met Mr. Bellingrath before he passed away (so they have lots of information about the family and what they enjoyed doing). There’s a large collection of Coke-A-Cola memorabilia since Mr. Bellingrath was one of the first to bottle Coke-A-Cola (this is where a majority of his wealth came from).
Best of all, the Gardens play host to beautiful Christmas lights if you’re in the area during the winter months. Below you’ll see some photos we snapped during our tour.
I definitely recommend visiting this hidden gem if you’re a fan of architecture, history, and the magic a secret garden can bring.
 - Brittney 

Trip to NC + Being Far From Home on the Holidays

Now that I’m home and unpacked from my early Christmas in North Carolina I felt I should talk about a little bit of what I did up there and how I feel being so far away from Family + Friends during this time of year.

What I did in NC:
- Spent time with my parents, siblings, and their children. I spent some one on one time with my only remaining grandparent; Nanny.
- I had a major girls night sleepover with two of my dearest best friends. We exchanged gifts and did what we used to do (have some wine, laugh, listen to Pandora, etc).
- Met up with my best friend from College Brianna. She went to England recently so she had me a special gift plus my Christmas gift. We had margaritas (classic B&B drink), went to downtown for a girls night, and had a night out at some of our old college hot spots (which aren’t so hot anymore).
- Went Christmas gift shopping with my mom. We love window shopping together and spending time looking at items to one day purchase for my home.
- Went Christmas shopping with my Dad. We have a tradition where we go to one of the major cities in NC to buy gifts. It felt like old time (plus Holly).
- Helped my Dad decorate his house for Christmas; this is another tradition of ours.
- Helped my Dad cut firewood for his house; yes I can use an Axe!
- Had Chinese food... In the area of Florida I live at there isn’t any Chinese restaurants. I grew up eating Chinese food at as treat; therefore... I needed my ’treat’ (I purchase fried rice and brought it back to Florida to eat!).
- Went to some of the local food places I grew up on: Bojangles, CookOut, Mayflower.
- Took some old clothing I had in my Childhood bedroom to a consignment store; then donated the rest.
- Visited the Nordstrom in NC and the area I used to manage the Flagship Abercrombie & Fitch; sadly they closed the store down which oddly enough, made me feel a bit depressed.

How I feel being 700+ miles from my Family and Friends:

I’ll be frank, its hard. I see my family and friends all posting fun photos and events on their facebook - instagram - snapchat - etc and I’m having to watch from a screen. I miss everyone dearly and it was hard having to celebrate my favorite Holiday weeks early knowing that on Christmas Eve I will not have my parents and sibling with me. Holly, of course doesn’t understand yet. I hope down the road it’ll be easier on us all. We pray we can get into a nice house large enough to have my family come visit during Holidays.

I don’t want to throw a pity parade... I know some have it worse. Some are overseas away from loved ones. Some are on planes going to work on Christmas. And some are completely alone. But it's always hard being so accustom to a certain tradition and then having to 100% adjust. In general it's hard being so far from family. If I had a bad night with little sleep, I don’t have family nearby for help. If I’m ever sick and unable to tend to Holly, it would take my mom 11 hours to get to me. But the holidays make that reminder that I’m far away much more noticeable. Don’t get me wrong, I love Florida. I love my Husband. I love he has an incredible job that currently I can stay at home with Holly everyday. Its just hard realizing that there’s certain milestones that I want my family to witness but sadly they aren’t able to. 

Wedding Invitations: Save the Date, RSVP's, and When to Mail

One question I’ve been asked by many is the details on invitations.  

- When to mail “Save the Date”?
- When to mail the actual invitation?
- Is the RSVP important?
- On website it states “as low as $___” so is how much will I actually pay, etc?

Today I will answer all the questions I’ve been asked, details on selecting the best way to purchase invites, and be very open about my invites too (Yes, I will tell you where I purchased mine and how much I spent!).

“Save the Date” vs The Invitation + When to mail out.
I like to think “Save the Date” as a 'look who's getting married!!!' flyer. The “Save the Date” isn’t the invitation and doesn’t guarantee an invite either. Many couples send out these cards to literally EVERYONE (family, friends, coworkers, people you attended school with, etc) but only send a fraction of Invitations. “Save the Date” can also preview the theme your wedding too.
- Are they necessary? No.
- Are they costly? Possibly. It depends on how detailed the card is and how many you have to order (don’t forget postage cost!).
- When to send? Send your “Save the Date” minimum 6 months before your wedding.

The Invitation is the official invite. This tells your guest the date your wedding is, the location, and any other important details. This is where you showcase the theme as well.  I’m big on having beautiful invitations. I think it’s important to set aside a budget on the invitations because the is where you (the bride and groom) are requesting your guest to set aside a day to celebrate with you!
- What can you include in the invitation? Anything. RSVP response cards, directions, food allergy requests, wedding gift info, formal or casual attire, etc.
- Are they costly? Depends. If you add additional cards like food allergy requests, directions, etc it can add up.
- When to send? Send your Invitations 6-8 weeks before your wedding.

What did I do? Continue reading to find out!

RSVP Information
- IS RSVP’s important? Yes and No. Sadly, about 75% of guest don’t reply to RSVP’s (even when you include the response envelope with address already printed). The RSVP to me is very important especially if the wedding is a destination or on a major holiday. RSVP's also help with final chair rental cost, food catering costs, and venue size.

If you do RSVP, I recommend including an area on the card where guest can write number of attendants too. Tip to get people to reply to RSVP's: Post a reminder on Facebook for family and friends to reply to the RSVP or send a massive group text. 

The “as low as ” trick when ordering your invitations.
When it comes to ordering invitations online you will see “as low as ___”. What does this mean? This is the lowest possible cost per card. Sounds great but the only way to get the card at such a low price requires you to order a bulk amount (sadly if you only order 50-300 invitations you won’t be getting that low amount). To be frank, the only way to get that low price is to order a massive amount of invitations (some websites the ‘low’ price requires you to order 1,000+ invitations!). 

When I shopped for invitations I ignored that “as low as” badge. I shopped for what style I liked and when it came to customizing I kept the budget low by only ordering white envelopes and keeping the colors simple (so no glittery stones or special custom ribbons that I can add on myself). 

Where to get Invitations
Just like wedding dresses, invitations can be purchased many different ways. Chain stores, specialty stores, or online.
- Chain stores range from Hobby Lobby, Target, Walmart, etc. I've even seen invitations at Homegoods and TJ Maxx! These cards are basic but in current trends. The cost is SUPER affordable and great if you need to mail out extras. This option is great for brides who don’t want to invest a lot in invitation. 
- Specialty stores have A LOT of varieties and can do customization. The cost is pricy but results are amazing. Some require appointments and you will need to invest time to give the designer details on what you envision. Some specialty stores can be mom + pop boutiques, Paper Source, and Swoozies.
- Online is a combination of chain and specialty. You can get the budget price + the customization. Online you must shop around for the best price, look for promotional codes, and invest your time in customizing (you're in charge of the customization).  When ordering you HAVE to proof read and accept your order has been finalized. If you accidentally approve the wrong date its not the websites fault (so no refunds).  Online shops are Shutterfly, BasicInvite, VistaPrint, and Minted.

What did I do? I ordered my invitations online from basicinvites.com. For about 3 weeks off/on I customized my cards. I wanted to add special touches. I ordered invitation, rsvp cards, and gift info cards. I kept the budget low by using stock envelopes and opted to hand write the addresses, ordered the amount I truly needed + used stock paper to create my own direction inserts. My invites was exactly $200.00. I ordered a total of 25 cards, 20 rsvps, and 20 gift info cards. *remember my wedding is very exclusive*

If you have any questions about ordering invitations, what websites I created sample cards on, or need a opinion just drop a question below, email me, or DM me on my instagram!

These Shells seen in the photos will be used as center pieces at my wedding reception tables! 

have a Sunny Day

- Pomp and Palms

Wedding Series: Beach Wedding Venue Field Guide

If you’re having a beach wedding like me there’s many affordable options. At first I thought my only choice is paying a high price for a resort wedding or selecting a glitzy area with Homeowner Association rules I must follow. But once I started doing my research I found out I can have it all (wedding & reception) without pulling a loan from the bank!

First things first, deciding what beach. Living in the Fort Walton/Destin area it wasn’t a hard choice. But for anyone who’s not near the ocean I highly recommend doing some homework. A simple Google search isn’t going to cut it. 

Example: If you Google “Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Beach views” you’ll get beautiful beach pictures. But being a North Carolinian (I vacationed most of my childhood in the NC/SC beaches) I know Myrtle Beach has a bad reputation for being a dirty beach. Instead, go the extra step and check social media sites like Instagram and search the hashtag “Myrtle Beach” (or search with terms that concern you "Myrtle Beach dirty?" "Shells on Myrtle Beach" "Beach Trash" etc). Also go to websites of news stations that are local to the beach area you want. News websites always have current images of the beaches and you can see how the weather was in that area last year too. [Below I have pictures of Myrtle Beach]

Just searching "Myrtle Beach" on Google

Searching "Myrtle Beach In Real Life"

Next is seeing if the State your beach location is in allows public beach weddings. Most do! Just double check. Some require a permit if the event is attracting a large crowd. I know in Florida ANY public beach you ARE allowed to do weddings, parties, photo shoots, etc. But if it’s over 50 attendants you must get a permit from the county and fire department. Some states require a ‘request’ that has to be approved as well. Some request a detailed itinerary of what you plan to do.

After you look into a general location + requirements, your next step is deciding a more specific spot for your special day.

Options for beach front wedding views:

• Resorts. Resorts LOVE doing weddings. They can get a bit pricy but it’s always an option. Pros of a resort: they will make sure no one is on the beach when you’re having the wedding ceremony. The beaches is ALWAYS clean! Cons: some Resorts have strict contracts with vendors and require you have to follow their list of catering services, decorators, Dj’s, etc. Some resorts also require you to rent rooms there within your wedding package. Resorts sometimes have noise regulations (so at a certain time of day you can't have specific music or partying).

• Renting a large beach house for the wedding. This is a good choice for having the entire wedding party under one roof! Here in the Destin, the houses were a bit too expensive for my price point & many affordable houses stated in the contract “No weddings or reception celebrations”. This is because the owners don’t want any property damage. BUT there is houses you can rent for events! You just need to request a copy of the rental agreement before payment or request the rental agency to send you options that meets your specific needs. Pros of a large beach house: rooming the entire wedding party. You can host both ceremony and reception at the house. In case of bad weather you can quickly get to shelter. Cons: some houses have extremely strict rules on what you can have on the property. Some houses request no inside photos. Some houses only allow a certain number of people and cars on the premises. Some require Homeowner Association regulations. 

• State Park Pavilions or State Beach Pavilions. Park Pavilions are SUPER affordable and you can locate pavilions that have bathrooms, electricity, and well, ones that are literally on the beach! Some park agreements state you can not have glass bottles, no smoking, no fireworks, etc but this is stuff you can work out. Instead of glass wine bottles do plastic or boxed wine (simple right?). Pros of Pavilions: the cost to rent goes back to that community unit. Many pavilions are at great location/views. If rain, you will have a shelter to stay under. Cons: its a public place so there will be some people still using the adjacent pavilions, majority won't allow glass or heating trays (fire reasons), most request the event to be over by dusk. 

And there you have it! The first major steps on planning an affordable beach wedding location!
After you figure this out you can start the next step which is finding a florist/vendor that has beach wedding arches, rental chairs/tables, and floral arrangements. My next post will go into more depth about this topic.

What wedding venue route did I choose? I went with the state park pavilions. My wedding will be at the end of September at Navarre Beach Marine Park. I rented two beach pavilions for the entire day (sun rise - sunset) for $100.00. I rented two in case of rain. I could do the ceremony under one and reception under the other one. If sunny, I'll have two pavilions for reception space! The price being only $100.00 has given me extra money for decor and food! I’m excited for my pavilions because it’s near the Navarre Coral Reefs which I think is a beautiful touch to my wedding. I love marine life and protecting the oceans.

Navarre Beach Marine Park Pavilions. Mine are the two on the right!

This is what Navarre Beach looks like. Its a very peaceful beach with very few houses! If anyone ever wants to travel to a calm beach this one is nicknamed "most relaxing beach" because its super peaceful and quiet.

This is an image of Navarre Beach Coral Reef which is right next to my pavilions! Navarre Beach has a huge sea turtle conservation center that educates how to help protect turtles and their nests (they even have a sea turtle you can meet in person!). Each year thousands of baby turtles are born and make their way into the ocean from Navarre Beach! 

All About Daytona Beach, Florida (And Orlando!)

Now that I’m home from Daytona Beach I wanted to give a run down on where we stayed, what we did, where we ate, and more. If anyone is traveling to Daytona or Orlando this post will be beneficial!! Our trip had off and on rain so we had to juggle our outdoor activities around the weather.

Where we Stayed
Bryce selected the Hilton Oceanfront Resort as our resting place. This Resort has 2 large pools (hot tubs & children pools too), beautiful courtyard, private access to the beach, and footsteps away from all the fun (Across the street was the Convention Center. Next to the South Tower is the pier + pier park with tons of fun rides. Next to the North Tower is a 3 story shopping and restaurants). Our stay included daily bike or scooter rentals, boogie board rentals, discounts on eating at the restaurants + bars, and valet parking. All the rooms have oceanfront views which are AMAZING. The busboys and valet car service team were really kind as well. Every night we saw fireworks from our balcony.

Room keys and post card of Resort!

This is a view of our bedroom area. We decided on just getting a king size bed and opting out on getting a crib for Holly. Our bed was large enough to have her sleep in the middle between us. The room had a lot of natural light from the balcony and the room itself was really quiet! (which is surprisingly because the resort was completely booked!)

The inside of our bathroom.

The collection of toiletries the Resort provided.

What we did
Our trip was quite busy. In fact my in laws were upset we didn’t text much but we were nonstop moving. I unplugged from most social media was so excited to make memories with my family.

- Disney Springs. Seriously Disney Springs was a blast. We were a bit worried because all the parking decks were full but we found this one parking lot that was right across the street from the Coca-Cola Store. (The lot was near the Team Disney parking lot. It was quicker and less stressful walking across the bridge and was very lit! I highly recommend parking there). We visited A LOT of the shops and I’m seriously saving up my money for our next trip out there cause I fell in love with American Thread’s and Shore.

- Daytona Speedway.

- Orlando International Premium Outlet. This outlet was amazing. Literally any store you want is there (Also a Victoria’s Secret outlet!!!).
- Volusa Mall at Daytona.
- Tanger Outlet at Daytona Beach. We really liked how clean and new this outlet was. The shop associates were really friendly too.
- Hilton Resort Pools.
- Convention Center at Daytona Beach.

Daytona Beach Views

Disney Springs at night. I seriously enjoyed walking out in this area. There was TONS of fun shops to go into, many amazing restaurants and bars. I'm really impressed with all the upgrades and how lively the area was!

What we ate.
Food wise I noticed we skipped meals a lot. But when we ate we dined like kings.

- Planet Hollywood at Disney Springs. If you dine here you MUST get the Chicken Crunch! It’s on the appetizer menu and seriously the BEST.
- Disney Candy Cauldron at Disney Springs. We had candy apples here!
- Hilton Breakfast "Hyde Park".
- Hilton Beachside Bar "The Blind Turtle". (They had some amazing drink specials and the bartenders brought the drinks to you while you chilled in the pool).
- The Black Sheep at Daytona Beach.
- Cheddars at Daytona Beach. (Get the Honey Butter Croissants!)

Bryce’s competition.
On Friday morning Bryce went to see what time his matches were and texted saying he plays both Friday and Saturday at 2pm. So both days I went to the pool from 11-2 to 3pm. The first day he played the #1 player which sadly, he lost. We grabbed food when he returned and then he went back to check out some of the sponsors and play in some small ‘fun’ matches to get noticed. Day 2 he actually went through a few rounds (whooo!). He met a lot of big high dollar players and seen previews + played demos of games that will be released down the road. It was actually a really cool experience for him and the area seemed really excited to have this media attention. I had no idea some of these video game players make 6 figures playing in game matches! 

How was traveling with a baby?
Traveling with Holly had its ups and downs. We packed items we thought she would need but surprisingly she didn’t. We reserved half of our trunk space for her swing but she barely sat in it. Also her bath toys was something she didn’t care for. Her favorites was the pool float, her foam play mat, and her play piano. I brought about 10 toys and it was more than enough. Her stroller is a Bravo Chicco and it was super handy to move her around in and very lightweight (it’s also air travel friendly!!). Sleeping wise she slept between Bryce and I because the King size bed was more than enough room. She did really good in the restaurants too. She loved Planet Hollywood because of the bright lights and fun upbeat Disney songs. We were worried with it being peak season at Disney and the massive amounts of people/crowds she would be upset. The only times she was fussy was when we were stuck in the Resort room from the storms. But overall it wasn’t a bad experience! 

Trip to Daytona Beach Florida!

Hello darlings! I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to this week. I must touch base on my next summer trip; a weekend at Daytona Beach, Florida! I’ve traveled all over Florida but this is one of the few spots I’ve never been. The reason for this trip is my Fiancé/Husband (we’ll be married at the end of September but we’ve been together so long its like we’re already Hubby/Wifey) ANYWAYS, we’re traveling for the CEO Fighting Game Championship that my Fiancé is taking part in. Kinda geeky/nerdy, but for him it’s good for his Twitch following and he could win some amazing cash prizes + the ability to be noticed for sponsorship opportunities. 

The best part is we'll be staying at a Oceanfront Hilton Resort. Holly and I plan to relax by the pool while Dad is doing his thing. We’re not flying which has its pros and cons. And any down time I plan to get some great swim + style shots for the blog. 

We’re considering visiting: Kennedy Space Center, Disney (depending on how the CEO goes), Daytona Lagoon, Daytona Boardwalk, Downtown Disney, and hit up a few shops too.
I’ll make a blog post all about the weekend trip to Daytona and places we visited, how our resort was, foods we ate, etc.

If anyone has been to Daytona and have recommendations drop a comment! 

-Pompandpalms