Survey Monday

Hi queens! I have such a busy Monday today since I don't have the day off of work...therefore I have no time to be creative...whoops. So here is a little survey so you can get to know me a bit better!

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:30am

2. How do you like your steak? I rarely eat steak...but when I do I order it medium

3. What was the last movie you saw at the theater? Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Holy intense movie. Mom and Dad you would NOT enjoy this movie.

This is Rooney Mara before her Girl with the Dragon Tattoo transformation...

And here she is after...now that's an insane makeover!

4. What is your favorite TV show? I guess if I had to only pick one it would be Modern Family.

This show is so hysterical! So glad they won a Golden Globe last night!

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Richmond, Va or Charlotte, NC. Hint Hint Dave

6. What did you have for breakfast? I have the same thing every morning...I'm definitely a creature of habit. Special K Red Berries cereal all the way!

I get the massive box from Costco. Delish

7. Do you wear glasses or contacts? Nope. I have great vision. Lucky me. Even though I remember wishing I had to wear contacts when I was young because I wanted a different eye color....ridiculous.

8. What food do you despise? Mushrooms. Nastyyy.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? Sono in Raleigh. I know I've blogged about this twice already but seriously you guys...best. sushi. EVER!

10. Favorite dressing? I'd have to say balsamic or honey mustard. Really just depends on what kind of salad I'm eating. If it has chicken on it (minus a caesar salad) it has to have honey mustard on it!

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Mazda Tribute...hopefully I'll have to change this next month to a Hyundai Sonata!

12. What are your favorite clothes? I love cold weather clothes wayyy more than warm weather. I'm obsessed with leggings, oversized sweaters, and scarves.

13. Where would you visit, this weekend, if you had the chance? DC. I LOVE DC. So many things to do and so many shops and great restaurants. love love love.

14. Where would you want to retire? Probably wherever my family was...so lets make that the beach future kids and grandkids, ok?

This view will do I suppose...

15. What is your desktop photo? Random photos of places and things. One of the ones that come on the computer.

16. Where were you born? Nashville, NC

17. What is your favorite sport to watch? Basketball. I used to only enjoy watching college basketball.GO HEELS!. But now Dave has gotten me into the NBA. GO BULLS!

18. How many siblings? My gorgeous younger sister. She's all I need :)

19. Favorite pastime/hobby? Shopping. Cooking. Reading. Cleaning (yes cleaning...thanks mom)

20. Coffee Drinker? NO. You do not want to give me caffeine. My body literally rejects it and I shake and talk about 90mph. Embarrassing.

21. Are you a morning person or a night person? I'm not really either. haha. I get sleepy around 10:30 and want to go to be immediately. I'm not a joy in the mornings either. Wake me up at your own risk.

22. Do you have any pets? My tiny queen, piper!

I mean come on...it doesn't get cuter than that!

23. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I wish!

24. What did you want to be when you were little? A lawyer. That didn't pan out...but now I'm thinking of taking classes to be certified as a paralegal...that's kind of close, right?

25. What is your favorite color? Blue and purple. However my favorite color to wear is black.

26. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog, duh. Sorry cat lovers...

27. Are you married? Nope.

28. Always wear your seat belt? Absolutely!

29. Been in a car accident? I had someone back into me once while I was parked in the driveway...does that count?

30. Any pet peeves? Where do I begin? Shoes in the house, dirty mirrors, dirty kitchen, people singing songs they dont know the lyrics to...I'll stop there.

31. Favorite Pizza Toppings? I'm so boring...pepperoni!

32. Favorite Flower? I have a few favorites: succulents, hydrangeas, roses

Most people aren't super familiar with succulents so here ya go...aren't they awesome looking?

33. Favorite ice cream? I don't really eat ice cream very often...but when I do I love Ben and Jerry's Phish Food FroYo

34. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A

35. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Passed on the first try

36. From whom did you get your last email? Megs. I love you!

37. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, or Uniquities!

Hope you all have a fabulous Monday! Happy MLK Day!

xoxo Olivia

Friday Fun

Who doesn't love Friday? Am I right? I have a couple of things happening to me today that I'm just so excited about!

First off, my dad is coming to Raleigh just to take me and my sister out to dinner!

How handsome is my daddy??

How sweet is that? I can't wait to spend some quality time with him. I definitely don't get to see my parents as often as I would like,(move to Raleigh you guys!) so I think it is so special he is driving all this way just for dinner with his two girls. Now that's a great dad!

After dinner with my dad I get to bring my sister back with me for the weekend! YAY!

I also have a supermodel sister...no big deal.

She goes to school only half an hour away but I still don't get to see her often enough. It will be so nice getting to do sister things all weekend. She lets me be weird and I let her be weird. It works out well :)

I also get to prepare for a very special visit tomorrow! My sweet and gorgeous friend Dawn and her husband Luke are coming to Raleigh for dinner tomorrow night! I haven't seen Dawn since her wedding which was almost a year ago!

All us bridesmaids dancing with the bride :)

(Minus the 30 min I saw her in November while I was in the hospital...but that doesn't count!) Dawn and I met years ago under very odd circumstances but became instant friends and have stayed friends ever since! I just can't wait to catch up with her and Luke and spend some quality time together! It's so nice to have a friend where you can go months without seeing each other but then just pick up right where things left off :)

I hope you all have wonderful weekend plans!

xoxo Olivia

Weekend Recap

Hello lovelies! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! Mine went by too quickly as usual.

Friday I got off work a little earlier than expected so I went with Dave to look at cars. Mine is going to have to be put down in the next few months unfortunately, so I thought I'd get a head start on the process. I have narrowed it down to what I want. A black Hyundai Sonata. I test drove this baby and just loved it!

Saturday I went to the mall to go into Sephora. I am OBSESSED with this store. I have to limit myself to what I buy in there because I could just go crazy! This trip I picked up 3 goodies.

Number one:

Sephora Collection colorful pallet in Taupe Model 06.

Number 2:

The Naked Eye eyeshadow kit by Too Faced.

Number three:

Brow Duality by Anastasia.

Saturday night Dave and I had a double date with Matt and Megs. You remember them from my NYE post, right? We always have so much fun with them. Saturday we chose to go to my very favorite restaurant, Sono.

Sono is an amazinggg sushi restaurant in Raleigh that I'm a tad obsessed with. I always get the piano roll and Dave gets the crunchy diablo. If you live in the area you should go. You will NOT be disappointed. BEST SUSHI EVER!

Matt and Dave talked about sports at dinner while Megan and I obnoxiously whined about how hungry we were and made hand gestures as to how we were going to chop our sushi up and shove it in into our mouths the second it was put on the table. Standard and not at all embarrassing... I somehow managed to eat 14 pieces of sushi. For shame. Whatever it was delish.

Sunday I spent most of the morning relaxing and doing laundry. SOO exciting. Then I met up with my mom and younger sister at Southpoint, a mall in Durham.

How gorgeous are my mom and sister?

Mom was dropping sister off at UNC so we met up for a little while and walked around the mall. I found a pair of shoes I desperately want for working out on machines.

The New Balance Minimus.

They are mainly for walking but can be used on the elliptical and bike. They are so light weight and comfy. I'm definitely considering this purchase. What do ya think?

My Monday has felt extra long since I have a migraine. BOO. Can't wait to relax on the couch and watch some recorded Modern Family.

Obsessed with this show!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend and were able to fit in lots of queen things!

xoxo Olivia

"These are a few of my favorite things"

Can't you just hear Maria singing this to the Von Trapp children?

Hi dolls! Now that Christmas is over, there is a little emptiness left inside of me. I miss the lights, the smells, the music...but the one remnant of Christmas that still remains are my Christmas gifts! I thought I'd share with you a few of my favorite things I got this year, as some of you might want to add them to your list as well.

I must say, Dave did quite well this year. Two of his gifts make my list! The first would be the Kindle Fire.

The Kindle Fire is seriously awesome. You can watch movies, tv shows, play games, check your email,twitter, facebook, (my blog) and the most obvious would be read! It is so nice to not have to run to Barnes and Noble and search through all of their books and try to find the right section and right row and ask for help etc. I love just being able to search "Bestsellers" or "Books you might like." It's wonderful. It is also in COLOR! This gift is a WIN altogether. You want the Kindle Fire. You NEED the Kindle Fire.

Second gift from Dave that I love would be my Oster Electric Wine Opener. Yes people, I cannot open a bottle of wine the normal way. I mess up the cork, the wine tool is confusing... it's just bad in general. The only time I can have wine is if there is someone around to open the bottle for me. For shame. Enter this handy little invention.

Nifty, right?

All I have to do is place the wine opener directly over the top of the bottle, push the down button and once it has drilled all the way into the cork and stops, I just press the up button and VOILA, I have myself an opened bottle of wine. Magic.

I love pjs. In fact, I change into pjs the second I get home from work. I'm sure everyone around me appreciates this... However, a good pair of pajamas is hard to find for a tall girl like me. Hellooo Victoria's Secret The Dreamer Flannel Pajama.

(I do not look like this when I wear them)

Not only are they insanely comfy and come in so many adorable patterns, but they come in LONG girls. You have no idea what that means for us tall girls. I got a pair from my grandma last year and wore them out. I'm talking holes in the shirt. Cute right? No. I needed a new pair, and I was so happy to get the adorable red and white polka dot ones under the tree. I have worn them every night. Don't worry, I wash them during the day. (sometimes) Apparently now they are on sale so get yourself a pair of these! You will be so glad you did!

I also got 2 new pieces of luggage from Mom and Dad! This was desperately needed. My old suitcase had a broken handle due to the lovely airline people and could only roll if I bent down and pulled the attached fabric handle. This was awkward and made people stare at me. So for Christmas I received...

the lovely 28in. Expandable Upright

and the 17in Roll Along Tote by Vera Bradley in Mocha Rouge.

So cute! The smaller size is the perfect carry on and the larger one will be perfect for my overpacking habit. These suitcases are awesome because they come with a warranty and are tear resistant...which is great since the airlines seem to throw luggage around like it can't be damaged. I cannot wait to use these! Maybe this gives me an excuse to plan a trip somewhere...

Why yes, I would love to go to the Four Seasons in Bora Bora!

I hope you all have lots of goodies you are treasuring now that Christmas is over! Valentines is up next, so maybe add one of these to that list! And if you don't have a valentine then buy them for yourself because you're awesome! I have done that more times than I care to admit :) Happy Thursday queens!

xoxo Olivia

Skin Care Saviors

Hi queens! Hope everyone had a fabulous Tuesday. It was my first day back at work since the long weekend and I must say, having a four day weekend and a four day work week works for me!

I thought I would share with everyone a few of my favorite skin care saviors. These are the products I have discovered that have changed my life. Things like that are just too good to keep to myself, am I right?

First on the list would be the Clarisonic Mia.

Oh Clarisonic Mia, how I love thee. This little baby is AMAZING. It cleanses 6x better than just your hands in about 60 seconds! I have noticed such a difference in my skin since I started using it. I bought this little joy about 3 weeks ago and I don't know how I ever went without it! My skin feels and looks smoother and has less discoloration. Not only that, but it has made my makeup go on so much better than before. After you use it, your skin feels so clean and tingly. I love it!

I have mine in blue.

There are so many cute colors to choose from, you're sure to find one that fits your personality. Cost is 119.00, but let me tell you, it it totally worth it!

Second on my list would be Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque. This masque has magical powers, I promise you. Lets face it, no one has perfect skin. Unless you're Adriana Lima.

(she who must not be named)

Then you're just a freak of nature and perfect all over. But back to the masque... If you have an unsightly blemish arising then dab some of this clay masque right over it, go to bed with it on, and in the morning you will want to send me a message thanking me for introducing this product to you. I kid you not, if I have a little bump coming up I put this mask over it and 8 times out of 10 it is gone in the morning. If it's one of those stubborn little boogers that just wants to stay, it will definitely be less red and less visible and usually by night two it is gone.

Cost is only 23.00 dollars for 5.0 fl. oz. This will probably be the most economical purchase you have ever made. I bought mine when I was 18 years old. That was 5 years ago people. It's over half full. Seriously. I bought mine at Belk but I know it's also available at Nordstrom and of course the Kiehl's website.

Third would be Bobbie Brown's Vitamin Enriched Face Base.

This moisturizer is heavenly. I have sensitive skin and most moisturizers clog my pores super easily and make my face go crazy. Not this beauty. It hydrates without leaving my skin feeling greasy, makes my makeup application a breeze, and enriches my skin with Vitamins A, C , E and carrot extract. It also helps protect against environmental damage and minimizes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Not only is it great for my skin, but it smells amazing! Cost is 52.00 for 1.07 oz. It's definitely a little bit of a splurge, but it hydrates and goes on so well you won't need to use very much of it. I buy mine at the Bobbie Brown counter in Belk or Nordstrom, but this is available on the website!

Great skin care products make such a difference! I hope some of these will become one of your new favorites as well!

On a totally different note...Happy 10 months to my wonderful boyf Dave. I'm so lucky to have such a sweet and supportive guy in my life. I love you!

xoxo Olivia

Do yourself a favor and go buy these things

I have found a few things I must share. These are just too good to keep to myself.

Twist bands. These may just be the best things ever invented.

website here

One: they don't damage your hair. If you wear you hair up like I do almost every day, you know this is an amazing thing.

Two: No more dents in your hair from your ponytail holders. You know that awful crease you get in your hair when you've worn you hair up all day? Well these eliminate it! Amaze!

Three: Work out? These actually hold your hair back the entire time. My hair always falls out of my ponytail holder at the gym. I tried mine for the first time today and it passed the gym test with flying colors! My hair stayed in place the entire time.

Set of three metallics on thetwistband.com

Four: They are adorable. They come in solids, metallics, tie dyes, prints...you name it. You will have a color for every outfit. I bought the brown,white,and black solids, but I will definitely be back for more. Cost is 8.00 for three. I purchased mine at a local boutique in Raleigh called Uniquities, but you can order these off the site!

Nude heels. I feel like I'm forever in search of the perfect nude heel. Not too dark, not too light, not too high of a heel, not to short. Well I've found it!! And you'll never guess where. Target!

Yes, the perfect nude heel is located at Target. It is called the Mossimo Pearce Pumps in Camel Patent. And for only 29.99 they were a steal! I definitely have a few weddings in the spring I'll be wearing these to!

The above picture was taken from Target.com

These pictures I took of the ones I purchased. You can see the sheen of the patent better in these. So cute! I can't wait to wear them!

The best smokey eye kit. My sister let me in on this one. It's an eyeshadow kit from Sephora by Sephora Collection. It's called Smoky Black 01. I wore this on nye and not only was it incredibly easy to apply, it lasted all night! No fading and no touch ups were needed. It shows you how to do a natural eye and an intense eye on the back. Cost was 24.00 which I though was an amazing price for such a good size shadow palette.

Find it here!

I love the glitter section on the left!

They also have lots of other awesome palettes that I can't wait to try!

My smokey eye on NYE. I should have taken an up close picture. Now I'll know for next time!

I hope you all enjoyed these little goodies! Tomorrow is back to work for me. Having a long weekend was so nice, but a four day work week isn't too bad either!

xoxo Olivia

Hello 2012!

It's 2012! Can you believe it? I have always felt that NYE is entirely overrated, but I can say that last night I had a perfect NYE! Dave (my sweet boyfriend) took me to a yummy restaurant downtown called Caffe Luna.

I had always wanted to try Caffe Luna, so I was very excited when Dave told me he had made reservations there. If you love Italian, this is the place for you. I had the penne caprese and Dave had one of their seafood pasta dishes. Mine was amaze. He said he was too, but I'll just take his word for it...I'm not a big seafood fan! The atmosphere is so quaint and lovely. Such a wonderful date restaurant!

After dinner we went back to his place where we waited for our friends Megan and Matt to come ring in the new year with us! In preparation for our guests I decided to make a few treats to snack on throughout the night. I may have gone a little overboard...

We had hershey kiss cookies, pigs in a blanket, cupcakes, cake pops, corn dip (I will have to share this recipe soon...you will thank me later) and meatballs. YUM!

This is Megan and her husband Matt! Aren't they adorable?

Me and Megs in our sparkly dresses! I love her!

We had such a fun night! The boys played guitar hero while we talked, and then we all engaged in a game of Buzz Word. This game is seriously fun. I got mine at Target. It's a perfect game for four people. We did girls against guys which got super competitive. The boys came out on top in the end, but will we get them next time!

When 11:50 rolled around we turned on Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve with Ryan Seacrest to watch the ball drop. (Does anyone else thing Dick Clark should retire or is it just me?) Once the 10 second mark came we all began the countdown together.

I loved bringing in the New Year with my favorite guy and 2 of our best friends! 2011 went by so quickly! Overall, 2011 was a great year for me...but I have a feeling 2012 is going to be even better!

Happy New Year everyone! Hoping your 2012 is filled with lots of love and happiness, but most of all, queen things!