Five on {Friday Favorites}

Happy Friday! Whew what a week! I'm having some technical trouble with the video I posted yesterday {insert embarrassed emoji}. Let's see if I can get it working today. In the meantime, like every other Friday I am linking up with Smidge of This and a few other blogs to share our favorites from the week.

1. I am SO EXCITED to share with you all that I am a new boutique owner/trunk keeper with Matilda Jane Clothing! I actually shared the news via Facebook live Wednesday night {connect with me on Facebook if you would like to keep updated with my weekly live videos}. I just LOVE this brand and HAD to be a part of it. Have you ever heard of Matilda Jane? If not, that's ok! I answer a lot of questions about MJ here so please check it out!



2. I finally got my butt back in the gym and it felt SO GOOD! You can't beat the feeling of accomplishment you get after going to the gym

3. Today is the first day of Fall! Today is the first day of Fall! Definitely a favorite this week.







4. Local weekend happenings: Johnny Appleseed Festival @ Weber's Cider Mill Farm, St. Joseph's Fall Family Festival @ Angel Park, Fall Harvest & Craft Festival @ Steppingstone Museum, Ravens vs. Jaguars @ M&T Bank Stadium

5. Ok I've posted about Lipsense twice this week so now makes three times. Are you annoyed yet? Definitely don't want to sound like a broken record of here but I am enjoying Lipsense. Which color should I go with next? I have my eye on Kiss For a Cause but that is definitely BAM! A sweet reader suggested Bombshell. I would love to hear some more suggestions because let's face it, I'll probably grab another 2 or 3 colors!

My before and after with the color Aussie Rose

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also Luke 12:34

Five on {Friday Favorites}

Today I'm linking up with Smidge of This and a few other blogs to share our favorites from the week.

1. On Sunday one of my very best girl friends was visiting from California. Now that she lives on the other side of the country, I only get to see her once or twice a year. This girl is more like a sister to me! And it was the first time Sienna got to meet her Aunt Meg!

2. Chip and Joanna Gaines announced their new home and lifestyle brand, Hearth and Hand, that will be launching at Target this November! I can't wait!!!

3. Speaking of Target, I snagged this gorgeous plate for $5 on Tuesday

and the pumpkin is a dollar store find!!

4. Local weekend happenings: Dogfest @ Bmore Humane, Perry Hall Apple Festival @ Chapel Hills Farm & Nursery, Parktoberfest @ Mount Vernon Marketplace, Bel Air Festival of The Arts @ Shamrock Park, and Ravens vs. Browns @ M&T Bank Stadium.

5. And lastly, my baby girl experienced the spoon for the first time this week! It was mostly milk with just a little bit of rice cereal. We will slowly make it thicker and thicker and then we will start the pureed fruits and veggies. Time. slow. down.

SpaceSaver High Chair

Have a good weekend, y'all. I'll just be over here pinning all things Fall because I'm obsessed...



For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also Luke 12:34

Baltimore Weekend Happenings

For today's 5 on Friday blogger linkup I'm bringing you some events going on in Baltimore this weekend. If you live in the Baltimore area you certainly can't say you have nothing to do this weekend! Maybe I'll see you out at one of these events? ;)

1. 3 different events benefiting BARCS on Sunday April 10th:

Sit.NamaStay yoga fundraiser 11am-1pm Join us for an all-skill level yoga class from 11am - 12pm on April 10th with CorePower Yoga Baltimore's Studio Manager, Ciara Desmond, followed by an open to the public shop event from 12-1pm with treats for dogs and humans alike at CorePower Yoga! All attendees will also get a CPY sticker to take to Unleashed By Petco Federal Hill for a #FREE pound of treats. Yay!!

Color Between the Wines 12pm-4pm Join us for a fun afternoon of wine tasting and coloring, the trendiest new activity--no longer just for kids! Sunday, April 10 from noon - 4 p.m. @ DeJon Vinyards (5300 Hydes Rd, Hydes, MD 21082) Start off with a wine tasting and then have fun coloring. Tickets are $40 which includes the wine tasting, light fare and coloring supplies

Pints for Pups at T*Bonz 4pm-6pm Fundraiser with Full Tilt Brewing and Hops the Cat IPA

2. Tot Swap 8am-5pm Friday April 8th-Sunday April 10th at Timonium Fairgrounds: Get AMAZING DISCOUNTS on maternity and kids’ clothes, shoes, books, toys, DVDs, baby equipment and accessories, strollers, swings, high chairs, outdoor play equipment, sporting equipment and more.

3. Orioles vs Rays at Camden Yards: Friday April 8th 7:05pm {student night}, Saturday April 9th 7:05pm, and Sunday April 10th 1:35pm {kids under 14 get a free t-shirt}

4. Book Sale Friday April 8th-Sunday April 10th at Timonium Fairgrounds: Proceeds from the book sale support an endowed scholarship fund for Baltimore area women to attend Smith College in Northampton, MA.

5. Red Shoe Shuffle Sunday April 10th 9am at Ronald McDonald House: Show your stripes and join us on Sunday, April 10th at 9am for the biggest and best Red Shoe Shuffle yet! Every registrant gets a pair of Red/White Striped socks and everyone who crosses the finish line will receive a commemorative 5th Anniversary medal. And to thank you for your fundraising efforts, we’ll be offering an incentive again this year! Any individual who raises a $1,000 will receive a Ronald McDonald House fleece jacket.

 Interested in my previous 5 on Friday posts?
Vacation Essentials - Randoms - Favorite Vday Pins
 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

Baltimore Blizzard 2016

The snow hit us h-a-r-d. It started Friday night and ended Saturday night with 2 to 3 feet of snow or more with snow drifts. And as of today {Wednesday} my alley is still not plowed. My street however was finally plowed yesterday. Last night was the first time since Friday that I was able to get out in my car. So what did I do all those days? Well I worked from home, ate good food that my hubby cooked, watched a lot of movies on our new g box, and reorganized some of my house. I know, realllll interesting right? Here's a look at what's been going on:

Sunday morning we could not open our front door so Jon had to go out the back door and hop our fence in order to shovel us out!

He literally spent all day shoveling our front sidewalk and our backyard so the dogs had a walkway to run through. {For reference, my fence is 6 1/2 feet tall and my dogs are pit bull type dogs so they aren't exactly tiny. You can imagine how much snow we got!}



I stayed inside and cleaned the house from top to bottom. I almost started scrubbing my walls... I was on a roll! Instead, I did a little organizing {Basket from HomeGoods/4 pack of mini chalkboards at the Target dollar section}
 
 

This little corner nook is right off of my kitchen and because our front closet was so packed, all of our coats would pile up here and it just looked terrible. So I did some purging and created a donate pile. Because I was able to make more room in our closet for the coats, I was also able to clear out this little corner nook!



Monday I worked from home and yesterday & today I got rides into work with co-workers. Tomorrow I should be able to get out of my alley! This is what the front of my house looked like this morning...







Snow was so much more fun when we were kids! Now it's just a pain in the you-know-what!

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

#NotFairweatherFans

I'm just going to say it... the Ravens suck this year. There are many factors effecting their record {like half of the team being hurt} but I won't go into all of that. Regardless, we are still fans and yesterday we went to the game knowing that we would probably loose! Which we did. But hey, we were still there cheering. #NotFairweatherFans

 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

Halloween in Baltimore

I love that Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. It means that there are a lot more events going on, on the actual holiday! I've put together a list of some fun happenings for those of you in the Charm City area. Hope y'all have a fa-boo-lous Halloween!!!

Adults only:

Craft Beer Bash & Costume Ball 

80's Dance Party at Ottobar 

Federal Hill-O-Ween 

Monster Bash at The BoatHouse 

Halloween Ball at Horseshoe Casino 

Jam-Boo-Ree at Rams Head Live 

 Inaugural Halloween Party

Bring the kids:

Fall-O-Ween at Port Discovery 

Trick-or-Trot at Camden Yards 

Wizards & Wands 

Tricks and Treats at Oregon Ridge 

Halloween at The Festival in Bel Air 

Haunted House at Brooklyn Park Library 

 Oh and one last thing... the winner of my "Thank You Giveaway" goes to Jessica Aubuchon!

Jessica Aubuchon

4 days ago  -  Shared publicly

 

I follow on instagram. I adore all the items in the giveaway. That glass would be perfect to sip from when trick-or-treaters come to my house!

 

Thank you to everyone who entered! Jessica, your gift will be going out asap :)

 

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 

Freddie Gray

I have been torn with whether I should post this or not. At first I didn't want to give any more attention to this terrible terrible situation which shows Baltimore in a bad light. In the end I feel I should address what has been going on in my city, my home. After all, this is my little piece of blog-land to do what I please... I hope you don't mind and I apologize if you don't agree with something I say :)

I'm sure by now you have all heard about 25 year old Baltimorean, Freddie Gray. On April 19, 2015 he died of a severe spinal cord injury after police arrested him. Freddie Gray was laid to rest yesterday... may his soul be at peace now.

Since Freddie's death, the city that I was born and raised in, has turned upside down. What the media has documented has nothing to do with Freddie Gray's wrongful death and everything to do with black vs. white, civilian vs. police, and angry senseless rioting. Peaceful protests have been spoiled by rotten individuals. Something I cannot and will not respect. I proudly support the police and would like to make that known. I would also like to make known that I love the country I was born in. I am disgusted by the people of Baltimore who tore down the American flag at City Hall and lit it on fire. If you do not like this country, then leave. In fact, PLEASE DO. The hypocrisy of the people who burned the flag is unreal. They desecrated the very flag that represents the Constitution that gives them the right to protest and assemble to begin with. They desecrated the very flag that protects the freedoms they are demanding. I wish they knew how ignorant and uneducated they made Baltimore look to the rest of the world. I am ashamed.

I am also ashamed of our mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake who stated that she gave protesters "space to destroy". I'm sorry, what? Destroying our city is unacceptable and those who would like to do so, should not be given space for it. They should be given space in a jail cell. Her lack of leadership and accountability is the reason it took so long for the National Guard to be activated. Ultimately I believe Governor Larry Hogan should be recognized for stepping up to the plate in this time of need. Bravo to him!

As for the Freddie Gray case that is being overshadowed by rioters, there is no doubt in my mind that the 8 police officers who arrested Freddie used excessive force. Shame on them. I pray that justice is served. There is also no doubt in my mind that Freddie Gray was a problem citizen. You can see his criminal background here or by going to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search and searching "Freddie Gray". If you don't want to have a problem with police officers then don't break the law. Plain and simple.

{I HIGHLY respect this...}

{... NOT this}

That's all I have for now folks. I'm afraid if I say more, it may not be contained. I hope you don't mind me using this blog to share my personal feelings about what is currently going on in my city. Have a great day and a great week and please pray for Baltimore! Today we clean up the mess... 

XoXo

Canton Irish Stroll

It's been a while since I've done a weekend recap! To be honest, my weekends are mostly boring. I do a lot of errands, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping. You know, the stuff I don't have time to do during the work week. But this weekend was a little different because Jon and I attended the Canton Irish Stroll with some friends!

 

Lets just say I learned a lot about myself on Saturday. Basically I can't hang like I used to! I was in bed by 8pm that night which means I missed a fundraiser event I had planned on attending. Ugh I think my bar crawl days are over my friends. But good times were had by all and in the end that's all that matters, right?

 

 

 

 

 

XoXo

ClassPass Baltimore

I am so excited to announce that ClassPass has launched in Baltimore! ClassPass is a fitness membership in which you can visit multiple gyms/studios at one low fee. This means you can attend your favorite yoga class, pure barre class, and exhale without having to pay for multiple gym/studio memberships. ClassPass helps you discover the best fitness classes in your city!

Memberships start at just $99 a month and ClassPass is offering my readers a special opportunity to skip the wait list just by following my personal invite!!! 

XoXo

It's The New Twenty

It's a new year, a chance for a new beginning, for goal setting and reflection, and for celebrating the successes of 2014.  I couldn't think of a better time to introduce myself to a new audience, and hopefully pick up some great new friends to start off 2015!  

First things first... My name is Michelle and I blog over at It's the New Twenty.  Like Justine, I'm a Baltimore girl and love perusing the city, bar hopping, restaurant sampling, and just taking in the scene.  Sound like your thing?  Here's a few other tidbits that define me and my little slice of blogland.  I hope you'll check it out!

I'm committed to staying young at heart.  I think that's why I love living close to the city. There's always something to do, someone to see.  I'm discovering 30-something fashion and how to mature without giving up my most beloved 20-something attire.  I like looking good, while still wearing pajamas and sweat pants as much as is socially acceptable.  

Exercise is a huge thing in my life too.  I like to do it and like to motivate others to do it.  Not in a body building/ super fit girl type way, but in an all around, well-balanced healthy sort of way.  Yes, I'm probably going to be joining all of you on that New Year's exercise resolution train, so if you're looking for support, feel free to get on board now.  

I'm a newlywed.  I'm still in a partial state of shock that I can call him my "husband" and am loving every minute of it.  I used to be unfortunate, but I guess you could say I've had a sudden turn of luck, and am getting luckier every year.  With my husband's state championship, our wedding, along with numerous shower and party festivities, 2014 was eventful to say the least.

So what do you say you stop in and say hello sometime?  I'd love to make the year 2015 just as stellar as the last!

#FellsFest 2014

#FellsFest aka Fells Point Fun Fest happens once a year 'round here and it just so happened to be this past weekend. And it just so happened that my friends and I were in attendance... along with thousands of other Baltimorean's.

This is by far one of the greatest events in Baltimore. With 3 gardens (beer and live music), kids zones, and streets full of great food and various vendors what more could you ask for? Oh and wait- for just $5 you can get a festive orange cup so that you can drink on the streets. All proceeds go to preserving historic Fells Point.

Hope you all had a great weekend! Here's to another week :)

XoXo