make a list. check it twice.

On Thursday, I will be departing from Charlotte to Miami to Punta Cana for a long weekend with one of my best (and single) girlfriends.

In the last year, I've done some serious travel for than my usual once a year travel. 

I've come up with some tips I use when getting ready to travel.

1. Make a list.

Here are some sample lists I found online.

(here and here for printable lists)

2. Check the weather.

Also, it's wise to check the weather reports of your travel destination to know if you'll need a light jacket or umbrella while there. 

Nothing is worse than anticipating to go somewhere during the summer months and it be unseasonably cold.  I went to NYC in May '03 and it was rainy and cold.  I went to Boston in April '10 and it was snow weather. I was not prepared either time.

3. Think small.

So you can ensure you have as much space in your suitcase as possible get some travel shampoos, body washes, toothbrush/toothpaste at Wal-Mart or Target.

I picked up some labeled travel containers and I can just pour my existing products into the bottles.

If you happen to be traveling with another gal pal, designate one person to bring the blow dryer, curling iron, straightner to save more space.

Minimize your carry-on bags by sticking to a large tote or bag that can double as a purse for you during your travels.

Last year when we went to Puerto Rico, this bag doubled as my carry-on and beach bag.

If you have any other travel tips, please share.

Thanks friends!  See you next week!

BrightLife

A fellow USC alum, blog follower, twitter friend, and co-worker Jenny Bright and her husband Tim have been faced with someone no young newlywed couple should have to face.

 

A few months before their wedding, Tim was diagnosed with colon cancer.

You can read more about his story on their blog with up to date information on how Tim is doing.

When Tim was first diagnosed, friends of he and Jenny started BrightLife to help raise money for the couple at their mounding funds.  Since then it has turned into more. 

I live in Greenville and I wanted to inform those in the Greenville and surrounding areas about their golf tournament and silent auction on Monday April 23rd. If you aren't able to attend, at the very least you can donate to BrightLife.

To learn more about the BrightLife or the tournament click here & here.

Click here for a clip of Tim telling his story and talking about the tournament with his doctor.

well...we didn't win.

Remember last week when all my posts were bugging you to get on Facebook and LIKE a photo?

 

Well, just to recap...my bff Mandy and I were finalists in an online contest to win a free trip to Europe. 

We had 6 choices of places to go. 

London + Paris + Amsterdam

Ireland

Italy

Croatia

 

Spain + France + Italy

"European Tour"

 

It still hurts my heart just typing these things out.  The shortest of the trips was 9 days.  Could you imagine?

We did come in 3rd out of 8 teams, which overwhelms me to no end.  I am so grateful for the support we got in this contest.

Mandy has since emailed the company asking for a 3rd place consellation prize for everyones hard work.  It never hurts to ask.

Thanks to everyone who voted, tweeted, blogged, posted on your Facebook.  You're the best!

But there is a happy ending. 

 

Mandy and I had already planned a trip to Punta Cana in late April.  So next weekend we'll be celebrating our 3rd place finish there...too bad we had to foot the bill.

my doppleganger

dopple who? 

I've gotten more comparisons to these two chicks than I care to count.

I get it...we're both gingers.

But this little guy is a ginger...I might look like him too, you think?

Other than Reba and Molly Ringwald, I've never gotten another comparison to another celebrity.

So I added my face to this celebrity generator thing and this is what it came up with...

and I'm not complaining about any of the look-a-likes, except Martha.  She's like 60 something...am I starting to look that bad?

I don't see the resemblence in any of the other gals, but I'll take it...even the Queen. ;)

"i hate this picture" VOTE!

Trust me...I hate seeing this photo too. 

But if I'm a finalist to win a freaking trip to Europe (we get a choice between 7 possible European vacays) then I'm going to keep posting about this until I win this bitch.

Wouldn't you?

So far we're inching up to 4th place with over 340 LIKES, but the 1st place team and gotten over 600 LIKES.

Mandy and I appreciate each of you who have voted for us or told your followers and/or friends to vote for us as well.  But we still have until Monday to win.

Here's the deal.

Click on this link.

Click LIKE on this photo.

That's it.

Tell your followers, tweet it, post it on Facebook. 

Anything to get me to shut up about this.

you're gonna hate me this week...

Thanks to all of you who voted yesterday and to a special blog friend Ashley who tweeted and posted to her Facebook urging people to vote on Facebook for my friend Mandy and I to win a trip to Europe.

 

 

There are 7 other teams in the running and we are currently in 2nd place with 180+ votes/likes.  The team to beat has over 400 "likes."

If I can get each one of my followers to click "like" on my photo we will surpass them.

 

 

The contest ends Monday 4/16.

We don't have to be Facebook friends (but I will be your friend if you want), and you don't even have to "like" the company that is putting on the contest. 

 

 

You just need to click here.

 

 

LIKE this photo.

And you're done!

 

 

Tell your blog buddies, tweet about it, Facebook it.  Think of all the fun stories you'll get to hear about if we win! :)

HELP! VOTE!

A few weeks ago, my dear bff Mandy told me she had entered us into a contest to win a european vacation. 

It was with a contest put on by Do It While You're Young called Friends Don't Let Friends Not Travel.

Well, she just emailed me that we are one of 8 finalists. 

In order to win, we have to get the most "Likes" of our photo/nomination on their Facebook Page.

Please, please, please follow this link....

https://www.facebook.com/diwyy

Find this picture of Mandy and I and click "Like"!

I promise if I win, I'll bring you each back a t-shirt and keychain.

At the very least, it will be great blogging material for you peeps!

Thanks mucho!

bow to the brow

Honestly, I could care less about NCAA basketball and March Madness. 

This year was the first year I actually even did a bracket and once I realized Michigan State was out (who I had picked to win the whole thing) I didn't even bother keeping up anymore.

I should have gone with my gut and picked Kentucky to go farther than the Final 4.  Obviously.  I might be $300 richer today had that happened.

I just wasn't hypnotized enough by the brow.

Bow to the Brow.

But congratulations to my UK alumni friends and other fans! 

I don't get into basketball because my team (University of South Carolina) is only good at baseball and occasionally football.

emerade

Emerade = Emery + Cade

They will be the new couple when they are allowed to date in 16 years.

Cade is 2 months and Emery is a mere week old.  Too young for Cade right now, but their mothers have always joked that they will be boyfriend/girlfriend when they are older.

Yesterday, was their first meeting. 

Cade was smitten, but Emery was more focused on getting her beauty rest than flirting with Mr. Cade.

And as I was holding sweet Emery her big brother made sure to tell me "Don't break my baby Emery."

If you want updates on Emerade's love story, be sure to follow Cade's mama's blog Life is Sweet.  It's only a matter of time.