SHE'S MARRIED!

I'm back for an extra special weekend recap! My bestie is married, y'all! 

I can't believe the day has come and gone so quickly! I feel like it was just last July when she was asking me to be her bridesmaid and now she's married! Helping my bestie plan her big day has been a dream come true for me. Her day was beautiful, romantic, and glamorous-- three things every bride wishes for her on her big day!

Although April 23rd started off with some not so ideal events (I had food poisoning and we were evacuated from our hotel the morning of due to a gas leak!), the rest of the day ran so seamlessly! 

We sipped on mimosas and ate pizza throughout the day at The Obici House as we got made up by a phenomenal team of hair and make up artists. My first run in with false eyelashes was a huge success and now I'm trying to figure out how to incorporate them off daily! With ten bridesmaids, two mothers of the brides, and two brides, it took quite some time for us all to get done up, but I enjoyed spending the day with my new friends cuddled up in blankets singing and watching netflix. 

We were beginning to think that the rain was going to be just a myth as we saw a storm beginning to approach across the Nansemond River. Though things got ugly for a little bit, we were able to hold off and my sweet friends' dream of being married outside went off without a hitch! The ceremony was performed between rain drops. 

Once my official bridesmaid duties were over, I was able to meet up with my hot date (seriously, what a stud!!) and my family to enjoy the rest of the evening. We ate, we drank, and we danced. Boy, did we dance! I even snuck in some photo booth time with my silly dad! Those props from the shower came in handy! 

If you're from the 757 and you've never seen the Obici House, it's a must do! The house is the actual farmhouse for the owner of Planter's Peanuts in the early 1900's. I loved being in such an old house with such a cool history behind it. The inside is mostly dark and rich. Sam and Hayley made the space their own with gorgeous touches of pink and gold and tons of candles! I can't stop thinking about how romantic the whole space was. 

We ended the night around 11pm with a sparkler send off for the new brides! 

Hayley and Samantha, I hope you know just how loved you both are separately and now together. Seeing the way you both choked up during your vows, the simple and subtle moments you guys shared, and the genuine smiles across your faces all night tells me that this new life you're embarking on is going to be a good one. I am blessed to be able to experience this special time with you guys and I look forward to all the lessons you both teach me about being a great wife. Best wishes for your bright future! I hope you're having the time of your lives in Jamaica! 

------------

Here's a few more pictures from this weekend! 

Friday night at the rehearsal dinner.

Bridesmaids and the shoes! 

Such a special night captured in photos by the amazing Jessica Ryan Photography, who happens to be one of my fellow ODU AXiDs! 

Look at these tables and place settings! They were so gorgeous! 

Being evacuated from our hotel for a gas leak.

Never missing a photo op!

And lastly, can we just take a minute to admire her in this dress?!

----------

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you're having a fabulous taco Tuesday! Check back soon for some more life as the alumna! 

Bridal Shower Festivities

Hi again, friends! Remember about eight months ago when my bestie asked me stand next to her on her big day? Well, that day is just around the corner and it's getting into crunch time! This past weekend we started their wedding countdown with their first shower! And I may be biased, but I think it was the best bridal shower in the history of bridal showers! 

We rented out the clubhouse at my Nana's apartment complex for the party. This space was a perfect location for the shower! 

We chose a mint and gold theme and I really wanted the decorations to pop in the space! I printed some of their engagement pictures done by the amazing Jessica Ryan and set them around the room. After the shower, I gave them the framed photos. I also found some awesome pieces in the Target Dollar Bin of all places! The big letter B was bought at Hobby Lobby and I had the guests sign in as they came in. 

Sam's sorority Little Sister was in charge of the games and she did a phenomenal job! I think the fan's favorite was definitely the toilet paper dresses. I've never played this game before but it was such a hit! These girls look almost as fab as they will on their wedding day.

I knew a photo booth was a must have for their shower, but photo booth kits are so expensive! I decided to try my hand at making my own and I was actually pretty impressed! A little card stock, some glitter, and a couple of bamboo kabob sticks and BAM! You have your very own photo booth props! For the backdrop, I just cut a fringe banner into 4ft strips and layered them on top of each other. 

A HUGEEE thank you to my mama, sissy, and Nana (not pictured) for all they did to help me throw my bestie the shower of her dreams! I couldn't have done it without their help, ideas, and support on the big day! Up next: showering my sissy!

To Samantha and Hayley: 

Thank you again for allowing me to be a part of such a special time 

in your lives. You guys are going to be the most beautiful brides 

and I look forward to the next few months as we continue to celebrate 

your beautiful love story! I love you both so much! 

101 in 1001: Update 2 + Where Have I Been?!

Good afternoon, my sweet friends! It's the most joyous time of the year and that calls for some serious blogging! I'm sad to say I missed out on all the wonders of fall blogging and all my ideas will just have to wait another year. But this semester has been kicking my butt! Grad school is no joke, y'all. Let me tell ya. 

But I'm back now and hopefully we won't be missing each other anymore! I finish up my second term next Friday and then will be out of school for a month. So I can at least promise you a month full of me before I go back to being a ghost ;) 

I thought it would be great to kick off coming back to blogging with an update on my 101 in 1001 list! Let's see what I've been crossing off lately! 

14. Run 15 5k races. 

In my last update, I mentioned that I was already signed up for 2 races for this past October and I was planning on running more before the end of the year. Well friends, let me just be honest with you and say most of that didn't happen. But that's okay! I ran a really great race with my Plexus team which supported an amazing foundation that teaches young girls the importance of loving themselves and realizing how beautiful they all are. How cool is that? Here are some pictures of my team and I at the race! 

19. Workout 4 days a week for a month. 

I started working out regularly in the middle of September and am so proud to say that I haven't stopped! At first this one was so tough, but with time it got easier and now my days don't feel complete unless I do something active! I love that I am starting to notice changes and I cannot wait to keep up with this goal for the new year! 

31. Give the blog a makeover. 

If you know me personally, you know that I am a creature of habit. I will eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a month straight. I go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. I hate change. BUT for some reason, I cannot sit still with a theme on this blog! In the (almost) year that I've been blogging, I have gone through more themes than I can count. But I think I have finally found one that I love and I think it will stay... for now! 

56. Send Christmas cards. 

I love, love, love receiving Christmas cards! My favorite have pictures of my parents' friends or relatives across the front laughing at Disney World or chopping down their Christmas tree. Since it might be a little awkward to send a picture card of just me, I chose to take the traditional route. I found these perfect cards on Black Friday in the $3 bin at Target! How cute are they! I am in love with the 'oh what fun' one! 

65. Host a game night. 

Back in October, I hosted a game night at my house complete with Halloween decorations and lots of boos (get it?). It was a double date with my boyfriend, bestie, and her fiancé. But it was perfect. Our spider web plates were covered in Pinterest DIY party foods and cards against humanity was sprawled across the dining room table. I can't wait for the next one! 

100. Take my boyfriend to his first Duke game. 

Let me give y'all some background on this one. My boyfriend and I just celebrated our three year anniversary. He has loved Duke most of his life and has dreamed of going to a game there one day. I really had no intentions on making this happen so soon. When I put this on my 101 list, I was honestly just shooting for the stars. I wanted to put things I never really imagined happening but would be really cool if they did happen in the next 3 years. So, I wrote it down. Let me also say that I never expected to do this for him as young 20 somethings because tickets are EXPENSIVE. Like $700 a piece expensive. 

In August, I started my own business and I have been more than blessed since doing so. My boyfriend is my world. He gives so much for me and works so hard for us and our future. I wanted to use some of my sudden success to show him how much he means to me and that's how this whole thing went from a dream to reality. I ended up buying tickets to the cheapest game all year which ended up being perfect because it fell on the Sunday before our anniversary. So that was how we celebrated three years together. 

I wish I could put into words what that little trip meant to me. I am so blessed to have been able to do this at, basically, the drop of a hat. I am so grateful for the man I surprised who spent the day with the biggest smile on his face. The game was incredible. Like nothing I have ever experienced. Duke University's campus is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, y'all. Bucket list item right here! 

  

------------------

And that wraps it up! I'm happy with my progression on my list and can't wait for my next update! I've got some great posts coming soon, so check back in the next coming weeks for those! 

What have you crossed off your list lately? Let me know below! 

Happy Hump Day!! xx

Boyfriend Tag

Happy Monday, y'all! What better way to start your week than a little lovin from BF and I? I've been wanting to feature BF on the blog for quite some time now, so I thought a fun way to introduce him would be through the Boyfriend Tag! Let us know down below if you'd like to see him back again on the blog and what kind of post we should do next! 

How did we meet?

We met originally in high school because of our mutual friends and then reconnected in college because of our fraternity and sorority affiliations. Going Greek was the best decision either of us have ever made.

Where was our first date?

Our first date was at the movie theater to see Les Miserables and it was one of the best nights of my life.

What was your first impression of me?

My first impression of you was that you were very, very pretty and your personality was so pleasant and kind that I couldn’t get enough of you.

When did you meet my family?

I met your family for Christmas of 2012 and it was a truly entertaining experience to say the least.

Do I have any obsessions that you find weird?

You have quite a few obsessions but if any of them were weird, it would be your obsessive care and comfortability with “Whitey” as you call it which is your baby blanket from long before I knew you.

How long have we been together?

We have been together since December of 2012 so it will be three years in a few months.

What traditions do we have?

Our traditions include spending every holiday together, doing fall activities such as hunt club, haunted hayrides, and scary mazes together, getting extremely patriotic whenever we get the chance to, and buying scratch-off tickets with only the cash in our pockets for any holiday we remember to do it for; and I love them all.

What was our first road trip?

Our first road trip was to the beautiful city of Baltimore for the Orioles-Yankees game to see your favorite baseball player ever, Derek Jeter, play his last home game in Camden Yards and your last opportunity to see him before his eventual retirement that season.

What was the first thing you noticed about me?

The first thing I noticed about you was how beautiful you looked and how well you carried yourself. There was nothing I found more attractive about you than the confidence with which you showed whenever I saw you.

What is my favorite restaurant?

Your favorite restaurant is easily Surf Rider because they have the best Lizzie food that money can buy.

Who said I love you first and where were we?

I said I love you first on my birthday while we were sitting in my truck after we went to the movies and your face lit up as you said it immediately back to me and kissed me on the cheek.

What 3 things am I most likely to be watching on tv?

The three things you are most likely watching are Gilmore Girls, something on TLC, or Andy Griffith. But if it so happens to be college football Saturdays in the fall and winter, then it is most definitely Alabama Football or the SEC network to see Timmy Tebow.

What dressing do I get on my salad?

You get ranch dressing on your salad because we both can’t seem to understand the appeal to blue cheese dressing.

What is one food I don't like?

One food you do not like is any kind of skinned fish such as salmon, mahi, or flounder all of which I love immensely. 

What drink do I order when we go out to eat?

You order water when we go out unless it’s a night on the town then you order Malibu. 

What size shoe do I wear?

You wear size 11 shoes.

What is my favorite kind of sandwich?

Your favorite kind of sandwich is turkey and cheese.

What is one talent I have?

One talent you have is the ability to do the US States quiz which requires someone to remember and correctly label each and every contiguous state. You happen to 100% it every single time.

What would I eat everyday if I could?

You would eat goldfish everyday if you could. Or hummus. Probably hummus now that I think about it.

What is my favorite cereal?

Your favorite cereal is Special K.

Who is my favorite musical artist?

Your favorite musical artist depends on your mood but is almost always Jason Aldean first then Taylor Swift second.

What is my favorite sport's team? 

The New York Yankees.

What color are my eyes?

Your eyes are a mix of green and brown.

Who is my best friend?

Samantha.

What is something you do that I wish you didn't?

Something I do that you wish I didn’t would have to my eating habits because I can’t turn down a Cheesy Gordita Crunch every now and again.

Where was I born?

You were born in the City of Norfolk.

What kind of cake would you bake me on my birthday?

I would bake you a yellow cake with chocolate icing on your birthday.

Do I play any sports?

You do not play any sports currently but you used to play softball and soccer.

What can I spend hours doing?

You can spend hours on Pinterest or hanging out with Grady.

If I could live anywhere besides here, where would it be?

If you could live anywhere besides here you would probably live in South Carolina but you love the Hampton Roads area too much to leave.

---------

Oh, my gracious! So much love for that sweet man! He is so good to me! 

Thanks for reading! Have a lovely week! 

xx

Fall Decorating For Less Than $75!

Oh, my friends, it's finally that time! Fall is upon us and my heart is filled with joy! It's time to break out our bean boots and flannels, sit around a bonfire, PSL in hand, just breathing in the cool crisp air. Unfortunately, coastal Virginia missed the memo and it will be a lovely 80 degrees today. Since it doesn't feel like fall outside quite yet, I decided to make it feel like fall inside with the help of some festive decorations! While I wanted the house to have an autumn like feel, I also didn't want to break the bank! So here is how I decorated my entire house for under $100! 

 

Bedroom// I don't have a ton of extra space in my room for decorations and I also wanted to go with my room decor as much as possible (gold and cream)

Hay- $3 at Walmart
Glitter mini pumpkins- $1 a piece at Walmart
Leaves- $1 for a decent sized bag at Walmart
Pumpkin candle- $1 at Walmart 

White pumpkin- $1.50 at Michael's 

Gold Pumpkin- $6 Walmart (last year) 

Total for bedroom: $16.50

 Bathroom// The shelves, white towel, white vase, and jars are permanent. 

Orange chevron towels- $6 for two at Tuesday Morning 

Orange filler inside vase- $1 per bag, 2 bags used from Walmart (last year) 

Orange candle- $6 from Walmart 

Ribbon on jars- $1 from Walmart 

Gold pumpkin- $4 (we spray painted a foam, orange pumpkin gold) 

Total for bathroom: $19

Front porch// credit to my mama for this one! 

Hay- $3 from Walmart

Scarecrow- $9 from Michaels 

Mini Pumpkin- $1 from Michaels

Orange Mason Jar- $3 from Michaels

Sunflowers- $1 from Dollar Tree

Total for front porch: $17

Apothecary Jar// Mama actually bought this jar from Pottery Barn and we change out the contents each season, but here are some beautiful jars that could serve the same purpose! 

Pinecones and Leaves- $1 per bag from Walmart 

Total for contents: $1 

Burlap Wreath// My crafty sister made this last year but it cost her about $20! Here is an awesome tutorial to create your own! 

Total for wreath: $20 

Final Total: $73.50

So, there we have it, fall babes! Adding a touch of fall throughout your house for less than $75! I hope this post has you inspired and ready to decorate your own house! What's your favorite thing about fall? Tell me in the comments below! My favorite things are football, the holidays, and the coziness that comes with fall! Have an wonderful Wednesday and a happy fall! 

xx

101 in 1001: Update

I created my 101 in 1001 list almost two months ago. I had planned on sharing with y'all every time I crossed something off the list, but life has gotten crazy the last few months. Crazy, but a good kind of crazy. SO! I decided to set aside some time this week to catch you guys up on what I have crossed off and what I am in the process of crossing off!

13. Make a TCA twitter account. 

I wanted to do this to reach more people and be able to keep in contact with all of y'all! I've been slacking with my tweeting, along with everything else in life, but I will get back into the hang of things soon! Follow me here and tell me what the next thing I cross off my list should be! 

14. Run 15 5k races. 

I have ran one 5k race since starting the 101 in 1001 and I am signed up for two in October. I am addicted to running 5ks and plan on running a lot more before the end of the year! I am currently searching for a "turkey trot" 5k for Thanksgiving day. My next two races are a Halloween themed race with boyfriend and the Shine5k with my Plexus girls! Super stoked for both! 

28. Be featured on another blog. 

If you read my last post, then you already know that I teamed up with my August blogger buddy and was featured on her blog. I love Hannah's blog so much and was truly thankful for her asking me to guest post. Check back later this month for some love from my September blogger buddies! 

34. Do a Paint Nite with boyfriend. 

This was one of my favorite memories from this past summer. I wasn't sure how boyfriend would like it, but he absolutely loved it and he wants to do more. Which is fine with me because I love Paint Nites! For those who don't know what in the world I'm talking about, Paint Nite is a night to drink and paint! There is a professional art teacher who has created a work of art and teaches the class how to recreate it while indulging in adult beverages. It's so much fun! 

37. Send 10 handwritten letters. 

So far, I have sent two handwritten letters to a former student of mine and to my August blogger buddy, Hannah. This month I will send out at least two others. I love being creative when writing and decorating the paper and envelopes! If y'all would like to see a post on my stationary collection + how I decorate my mail, let me know in the comments below! 

57. Lead my own summer camp. 

For those that don't know, I work at a Montessori school. My job title is a little "undefined", as there is nothing that I do not do at our school. I put this on the list after spending the last two summers working from other people's lesson plans during camps (our children attend week long camps during the school day with a different theme each week- Dr. Seuss, art, poetry, etc.) I actually got to cross this off a summer early! The last week of summer camp, I had the opportunity to be the lead teacher in the elementary class for Oceanography camp. It was so much fun! 

67. Go to a driving range. 

This was actually a surprise from boyfriend. He had been reading up on my list and saw a groupon for a day at the driving range. It included batting cages and mini golf, too. I don't know what possessed me to put "go to a driving range" on my list, but I enjoyed it. Now he wants me to go golfing with him..... I don't know if I have the attention span for that, lol. 

81. Spend half the day at Busch Gardens and half the day at Water Country USA. 

The week before I started grad school and went back to work, we spent the week in Williamsburg. (Which totally stole my heart, btw) We also utilized a groupon for this one- $40 for a 7 day flex pass for both parks. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I wanted to be a good sport, so I tried a lot of things out of my comfort zone and ended up loving each adventure we took on. 

85. Be a tourist in my own town. 

Boyfriend's little brother recently moved to New York, but before he left, we played tourists in Virginia Beach. We played every single mini golf there is at the ocean front, laser tag, Dave and Busters, hole in the wall mexican food, watched the tour boats. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I put this on my list, but that's the beauty of this whole thing. Doing things you wouldn't expect! 

96. Inspire someone else to create a list. 

My best friend, Sam, and her fiance were inspired by me and created their own list over on their blog. I actually love this more than my own list because it's all stuff they are going to do together. I would love to create a 101 list with boyfriend... maybe after I finish this list though. 

98. Start a small business. 

This is actually the reason why my time has been very limited lately. Not that this should take up a lot of my time, but I want to be super successful with this and give it my all. So, I've spent A LOT of time researching, studying, and perfecting things for this "business". I haven't decided yet how I will incorporate this "business" into my blogging life, but it's something I'm thinking about. 

------

So, there you have it! I am trying so hard to get into a routine of grad school, work, blogging, and this another new adventure. Thank y'all for hanging around and being so supportive of me! Make sure to follow me on social media to keep up with me more often than I can blog! 

xx 

The Truth About College Interview ft. Hannah Marie

Sorry for the break in blogging lately! Life has just gotten the best of me and I've barely had the time to eat, let alone, blog. But I'm back and today I have a super exciting collab post with my awesome Blogger Buddy, Hannah Marie! I'm so thankful for the opportunity to connect with other bloggers through the Blogger Buddies community and I am so excited that Hannah and I got paired up! Keep reading to see our The Truth About College interview and then head over to her blog to see my guest post talking all about my top picks for school supplies! Thanks again, Hannah!

Hi everyone! I’m Hannah Marie, a blogger over at www.mortevivere.wordpress.com. To tell you a little bit about me- I am a devout follower of God, I love reading and writing, and I play soccer! I’m also a junior in high-school. On my blog, you can find book reviews, posts about my faith, and my opinions on controversial topics. I’m so glad for this opportunity to be a guest on The Classical Alumna and ask Lizzie some questions about college! And I hope you guys enjoy reading this interview!

What is the hardest part about choosing a college?

Overthinking things. I wrote pro and con lists at least a hundred times when choosing my school. I was afraid I would make the wrong choice. But truly, you'll know in your heart which school is best for you and you will find your place there. 

Why did you choose the college you chose?

My biggest reasons for choosing the school I did were being close to home and having a great program for my major. I originally wanted to go away to school about 4 hours away, but then when I saw that they didn't have my major and I would have to piece something together.... college in my hometown started looking a lot better!

What do you think is the most important thing when it comes to picking a degree?

Pick something you are passionate about, but also be realistic! Don't major in US History if you don't want to be a high school teacher or work in a museum.

Do you think taking a gap year (a break year between high-school and college) is a good idea? Why or why not?

Personally, I am not a fan of gap years. Once you stop going to school, it is so much harder to try to go back. If you can't afford jumping right into a big university post high school or have no idea what you want to major in, attend community college and knock out your gen eds!

What is the most difficult part of transitioning from high-school to college?

FREEDOM. When you're in high school, you are waking up at the same time every day, you have no choice but to go sit in your classes from 8 to 4, and then you have a few hours after school that are usually consumed with homework, sports, clubs, meetings, work, or hanging out with friends. Your life is 100% planned out at all times, whether you realize it or not. When you get to college, no one is there to hold your hand and make sure you get to class on time, or that you're going to class at all. You pick when your classes are, so if you want to sleep in until 2pm every day, you can. The best way I beat the freedom plague was setting a schedule for myself everyday. Even if I didn't have class until 1pm, I still woke up at the same time everyday and drove to campus to work on homework or attend functions or hang out with friends. I didn't allow myself room for messing up.

What is the most exciting thing about going to college?

Finding yourself. When you get to college, you can become whoever it is you want to be. You don't have a reputation like you did in high school. When I got to college, my very first semester I joined a sorority. It was the very best thing I have ever done for myself and if I could do it again, I'd do it 100 times again. High school Lizzie would never have joined a sorority, but that's okay. College Lizzie is someone High School Lizzie would have looked up to and I think that's awesome.

What is your favorite studying tool?

I am the Flash Card Queen. I write down every fact that could be a test question and use the cards as such. Of course, I color code them for each unit, so that I can go back at the end of the semester and study for finals with the same cards.

What is the best way to meet new people and find encouraging community within a university?

Of course I think that the best way to meet new people and find your home on campus is to go greek. But really, just finding some sort of organization on campus to belong to is going to encourage you to branch out and find community.

For college, what is your preferred kind of board (dorm, apartment, house)? Why do you prefer that kind over the others?

This question is a little harder for me because I commuted all 4 years, but if I had moved to campus, I would have lived in an apartment. The houses around my campus are your typical college houses (AKA rundown) and most of my friends just constantly ran into problems with them. The apartments were always a little nicer and some came with nice amenities.

If you could give a piece of advice to highschoolers, who are preparing for college, what would it be?

Get involved. Go to the football games. Keep in touch with your friends from home, but push yourself to meet new people on campus. Utilize the library. Call your parents often. Take lots of pictures. Go to office hours. Don't procrastinate. Go to the gym. Enjoy every minute of college because it is truly the best four years of your life.

--------

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed doing it! Keep checking back through the month of August to see more from Hannah here at The Classic Alumna. What advice would you give high schoolers who are preparing for college this month? Let us know down in the comments!

xx