Last weekend, I was thrilled to travel to Myrtle Beach for Tippins' baby shower.  For the past few months, a group of girls and I have been planning this soiree and we were very satisfied with the final outcome.  The Dunes Club catered the shower and it was a beautiful venue for this special event.  

There was a lot of gift-opening,

and belly-rubbing.

Later that night, Tippins' In-Laws hosted a delicious dinner at their home.  It was great to see them and spend the evening with old friends.  

A husband, a new house, and a baby on the way.  How time has flown by since our college days. 

I am so excited for Tippins and Wilson, and look forward to meeting sweet baby Elle.... next month!

On Thursday night, Jessica and Jon came to town and surprised me with tickets to the Taylor Swift concert.  Why they spoil me so much, I will never know, but Jessica, don't you dare buy me a Christmas or Birthday present for the next 20 years.  

I nearly fainted when we were escorted to our seats.  Jessica snagged us floor seats in the 16th row!!! These were the best seats I have ever had at a concert (yes, even better than "Spiceworld" box seats in '98).  

After a great performance by Needtobreathe,

 and a slew of anticipatory messages for the crowd,

Taylor made her entrance!

 I was delighted to see that Swifty was a fabulous performer, something I was a bit skeptical about from the low key performances I was used to seeing on TV.  She interacted with the crowd, was upbeat and on key, and changed costumes 9 times without even breaking a sweat.

I was singing at the top of my teeny-bopping lungs and kicking up my cowgirl boots in the aisle.  Jess and I were completely in our element, despite the fact we were surrounded by glitter-crazed preteens. 

 Towards the middle of the concert, Taylor made her way through the crowd and hugged concert-goers, including her parents and Bruce Springsteen! 

For the finale, Taylor played her newest single, on the same set she had for the CMA's.  She then glided above the crowd on a suspended balcony.  I am still finding sparkly confetti in my purse.

In a perfectly timed twist of fate, a police car escorting 2 Yukons pulled out directly in front of my car as we were leaving the concert.  We were lucky enough to catch an up-close glimpse of Taylor as she rolled down the window and gave a last farewell wave to fans! I reached for my camera, but sadly, only captured the taillights of her caravan.  Still, it was one of those star stuck moments I won't soon forget.

Thank you to Jessica and Jon for making an average Thursday night a "Fairy Tale" come true!!!! 

.....Must Have.....

A girl can never have too many scarves.  They are winter's one-size-fits-all soft statement necklace.  For an effortless accent sure to keep you cozy in the coming months, invest in a loop or infinity scarf.  Unlike your everyday pashmina, the loop scarf is exactly that, a loop!  With all the buckles and buttons that fasten our winter coats and boots, it's nice to have something simple and snuggly to throw on as you're headed out the door.  Here are a few of my favorites.

1,  2,  3,
4,  5,  6,
7,  8,  9

.....Must Hear.....

Nina Simone (Felix Housecat Remix) - Sinnerman

I thoroughly enjoyed my long awaited 3-day weekend in Tennessee.  On Friday, Will and I drove to Chattanooga and spent the afternoon at the aquarium, undoubtedly one of my favorite tourist activities in any city.  

That night, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Alleia.  If anyone happens to be traveling to Chattanooga, you must visit this restaurant.  We entered through a inconspicuous oak door, and the interior of the restaurant was equally minimalistic with the exception of a large table covered in candle wax.  

  Since I was not able to attend Raleigh's PurpleStride, I was so thrilled when Will planned our trip around Chattanooga's PurpleStride.  At 9:30 Saturday morning, Will and I made our way to the opening ceremonies, where we were so glad to be joined by hundreds of hopeful and enthusiastic racers.  The event raised over $48,000 for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

We ended our trip with a ride on the Incline Railway.  The trolley took us to the top of Lookout Mountain and offered gorgeous views.  It was a wonderful way to end an amazing weekend and say goodbye to Fall.

This weekend, I took a long overdue trip to Charleston.  On Saturday morning, Mary Loyal and I went bargain hunting.  We started at the market and picked up some early Christmas gifts, then made our way to an enormous garage sale put on by Charleston's Junior League.  For under $20, Mary Loyal and I snagged a side table, a ceramic dish and 3 lamps.  Our money was well-spent, despite Mary Loyal's Corningware casualty.

  Since Pauli's Girls were not able to make it to Raleigh for PurpleStride this year, my sweet team members hosted a brunch at Hanna's home in honor of my father and our fundraising efforts.  Thank you so much to my incredibly thoughtful friends for hosting this celebratory meal.  I can not begin to express how blessed I am to have such thoughtful  friends.

Saturday night, we all headed to Anna and Chett's engagement party at Anna's parents' home.  It was great seeing old friends and celebrating with one of my favorite couples. 

After my mandatory Sunday morning trip to Hominy Grill, it was time to hit the road.  The weekend ended too soon, but it was well worth the trip.  I can't wait to see everyone again, hopefully before Anna and Chett's wedding this March.  Happy Monday!

November, Already?! Here are some things I am looking forward to this month.

Making this delicious concoction

Jumping feet first into a pile of leaves

Collecting osage oranges and creating a centerpiece like this or this

Throwing a shower for Tippins and counting down the days til her little pumpkin arrives!