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Guest Post: Merelynne

Hello! I am Meredith and I blog over at MereLynne.  

I was born and raised in Southeast Missouri in a small town where everyone really did know your name, or at least in my case, my folks’ names and their cell phone numbers.  I moved away after high school for college to a city that was a little bigger than my hometown, well it had a mall that was close and places that stayed open past 9pm on school nights.  About 2 months ago, my fiance came home to say that he had a job offer in big ol’ St. Louis and we would be moving.  So now I find myself navigating the highways around St. Louis with my fiance and two dogs and if it wasn’t for my GPS I would never make it home.  

I am a pretty indecisive person, just ask my finace.  It took 4 trips and countless hours thinking about it just to decide on the type of vests the guys will be wearing at our wedding in less than 2 months.  And, do not even get me started on the food.  I will probably have someone else make that decision.  All that matters to me is that there will be an open bar and a large dance floor.

 

So, when it came time to decide on a direction of my blog - I froze.  One direction? Absolutely no way.  I love too much and have an eclectic range of interests.  My blog is the place for my interests and passions.  I write about DIY project tips, wedding planning, and how 2 people are learning to combine their incomes.  Plus, I will admit that I am slightly obsessed with my two pups, Maggie and Tiny, which is evident with all the pictures and posts dedicated to just them.  

I’m just your average girly-girl trying to leave an impact on this world.  I love for us to be friends, so come by my little corner of the world and say hi.  

Guest Post: Bootz, Inc.

Today is really special, today one of my all time favorite bloggers, one of my favorite people, and by far the sweetest person you will ever meet is guest posting on my blog! I love Beatriz, and have loved having her as a sponsor on our sidebar! She's fantastic, and in this guest post is just a small snippet as to why I love her! Check out this post, then check out her blog and her fab style!
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Hello everyone!

My name is Beatriz, AKA Bootz, I write for Bootz, Inc. Blog. 

I love posting tips on fashion, trends and anything having
 to do with fashion events here locally in Utah.
I occasionally like to post outfit posts just so you have an idea of my personal style,
 but I love giving ideas and having you do them on your own.
I am fascinated by individual style. 

A little about myself: I am a full time fashion student by day, and a fashion blogger by night.

I love fashion and the way it can be expressed as an art, 

my plan is to get in the fashion field once I graduate the Fashion Institute here in Salt Lake City. 

(I seriously just used FASHION in that sentence three times, 

sorry that normally doesn't happen. I think I might of  got a little excited.)

I am 24 years old and currently live with my fiance in a cute little apartment near the city.

Please make sure to follow me to get a better view of what I'm about and more on

my adventure through the fashion scene here in Utah! :) 

xoxo

Bootz, Inc.

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September Birchbox Review

Birchbox keeps surprising me each month! I really like their customer service, and how quickly they ship their boxes! This month had some awesome goodies inside that I really liked!

Juice Beauty - Green Apple Peel
I really liked this product. The container was teeny, so I was a little skeptical as to how much I'd get to use the product, but a little bit goes a LONG way, and I love this mask! You simply put it on, wait 5 minutes, and rinse it off. My skin was left feeling soft and smelling great! I really liked this product.

Ruffian - Nail Lacquer in Mai Tai

As far as boxes go, I keep getting Orange polishes, which was a little annoying, but I loved being able to get a fall color! It lasted well over a week, with no chipping, smudges or fading. It's a truly great quality polish!

Beauty Protector Shampoo & Conditioner

I've never gotten a shower item in a box before, so I was a little skeptical to try out both a shampoo and a conditioner in the same box. I loved the smell of these, and your hair holds the scent all day long! The only thing I didn't like was how quickly my hair got oily and felt gross into the day. By noon my hair looked terrible, which I hated. For re hydrating your hair, this product works great though!

Soak - Laundry Detergent

I actually haven't used this item yet - but I thought it was quite interesting that it was shipped to me in my box this month! I will be using it very soon though!

I hope you're having a great Monday!

Super-Easy Homemade Doughnuts

My husband has a new addiction. And it is all my fault. 

It's these doughnuts.

These are so ridiculously easy to make, and they only take a few minutes!

What You'll Need:
1 canister of grands biscuit dough
Veggie oil 

Sugar

How to do it:
1. Open canister and separate rolls. Take each roll separately and roll it thin with a rolling pin. Using either a cookie cutter, a measuring cup, or in our case, a baby food jar lid, create a hole in the middle of the dough, set doughnut hole aside for later.

2. Heat oil on the stove top in a skillet. Once heated, start cooking your doughnuts, waiting until one side is browned and fluffy before flipping to the other side and cooking that side until it is brown and fluffy as well. Once cooked, remove from the oil, lay flat on paper towels, and cover with toppings of your choice. We did sugar and cinnamon sugar.
3. Do the doughnut holes in a batch as well, following the same instructions as above. Set aside, and once cooled, enjoy!

Man Behind the Blog #4

1. If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
A wolf. They're my favorite, and they're bad-ass.
2. What is your favorite meal?
Chinese Cashew Chicken - my mom makes the best!
3. Do you use any forms of Social Media? What is your favorite? 
I use facebook, twitter, foursquare and now the fantasy football app. Facebook is my favorite.
4. Beer, wine, liquor, other, or none of the above?
Beer - Miller Lite, or Shock Top
5. Complete the sentence: "Never have I ever..."
...driven drunk.
...flown in a commercial flight.
...danced with a naked man.

I just love this blog hop and love that my hubby gets to participate in our blog! Go check out the link up (use the button above) and see what others have to say!

September Sponsor Spotlight and Giveaway!

Hey all! Welcome to this month's sponsor spotlight and giveaway! This month our sponsors are teaming up and sharing with you some AWESOME prizes! I cannot believe how generous, and fantastic our sponsors are. Check out below the question of the month, their fun answers, and then enter to win in the giveaway!

What is your favorite thing to eat or drink in the fall?

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A Dollar Away From a Better Day

One thing I've learned as a Mommy, is that some days you just need to throw in the towel and have some fun. Sometimes that option is hard to do, when the little one has been fussy, you've not been feeling well, or you're unable to financially go out and do something like the zoo or too far from a park. 

That's why our family created the $1 bin, for those rough days with the little guy. 

Remember, sometimes you're just a dollar away from a better day.

1. Magic Towels

I love these! Not only are they fairly practical as gifts, but they're fun in the tub, just open it and toss it in warm water, and about ten minutes later you have a washcloth! Little dude loves this because he can play with a ball until it unfolds, then, its a washcloth he can play with! It's always nice to have these on hand too!

2. Snack Pack Puddings

Because sometimes a sweet treat is all you really need to turn a bad day around. And the fact that they come in packs of four? You can treat the whole family at that price!

3. Rubber Duckies (3 pack)

You can never have enough rubber duckies. Ever.

I love that the big duck comes in the normal size for rubber duckies, but the "babies" are teeny! Perfect for little hands! Little dude loved his duckies and played with them quite a bit!

4. Cheese and Crackers Packs
I remember these packs as a kid, my grandparents were the only ones who'd give them to me. I'd eat the crackers so meticulously so I could savor the processed cheese. 

Is it healthy for you? Of course not, but it is a great treat for toddlers and kiddos, and on a rough day, anything goes. 

5. Bath Books

Bath books are the coolest things ever! They're totally waterproof so they can have them in the tub with them, but they're also wonderful for teething, road trips or any other messy situations when you may need to wipe them down easily enough. We love bath books and love that they're just a dollar!

6. Board Books

The dollar stores always have great board books for great prices. I've scored our little guy Disney board books at 2 for $1 over at Dollar Tree, making it so worthwhile! We love to treat him with something that will help expand his mind and teach him to read eventually!

Plus, it's nice to have plenty of books for bedtime reading!

7. Bath Mitts!

No, I didn't buy my kid three bath mitts. In the process of writing this post he was gifted two more! We love these, they're soft enough for him to enjoy, sturdy enough for him to get clean with, and fun! Isn't that frog just darling?

7. Bubbles and Bubble Wand Set

I know the package says 4+ on it, but how can you say no to a $1 set of Bubble wands that are in fact, that awesome? We also love that for another dollar you can buy a three pack of bubbles! The best bubbles I have ever bought were from the dollar store and to this day, it is the only place I will go to buy bubbles! 

8. Glow Sticks

These are a MUST at our house. We use them for just about anything. Kicks and giggles, good kid treats, bath time fun, you name it! We love to add these to goody bags for birthdays, holidays, and family events, so having extras around the house is definitely worthwhile!

9. Coloring Books & Crayons

The dollar store always has a great selection of coloring books. I love going there for these, because otherwise they'd be SO EXPENSIVE! Looking at Wal-Mart they rarely have them for less than $5. (However, when they do have them for $1, they're usually holiday ones, so snatch those deals up!) We love finding him coloring books, and being able to replace broken or destroyed crayons for cheap is nice too!

10. New Teddy

While another teddy bear is THE LAST thing my son needed, we've actually found that having something to snuggle with in the car is really nice. This is his car teddy now, and he knows to leave him in the car just for drives. Its nice to help him feel soothed and calm, and even better, because if the bear gets lost, kidnapped, or misplaced, he was only a dollar and easily replaceable (which is why I bought two)! 

There you have it, a shopping list for your at-home dollar bins for when you're having a rough day with the kiddos. We tried each of the items listed above during the course of a month period of time, and found that they work so well with being a fun mom, helping restart rough days, and helping make days easier when mom or dad is sick and needs a break.

While all these items were purchased at Dollar Tree, I was not compensated or paid by them to write this post. I'm just a frugal gal who really likes shopping there!

Sponsor Post : Dara from The Southern Thing

Hey guys! Today Dara is taking over and showing off a bit about her and her blog! Check her out below, then follow her on the links posted at the end, I absolutely love Dara and adore working with her!
______________________

Hey y'all, I'm Dara and I blog over at The Southern Thing!

I'm a southern girl born and raised, but  currently live in New England.  I miss home (New Orleans), but frolicking around NYC and Boston isn't too bad.

The perfect Saturday in my book is a day full of tailgating and football.  Geaux LSU Tigers & New Orleans Saints!

A little bit of everything all rolled into one is the best way to describe me.  I'm a bit indecisive and often buy the same clothes in multiple colors.  I like to think that's the easier solution.  But hey, the more clothes the better right?  

I believe there's nothing Lil Wayne, a glass of moscato, a funfetti cupcake, and all you can eat crab legs can't fix.  If you agree, I'm pretty sure we'd get along just fine, so come say hi!

bloglovin'  //  facebook  //  instagram  //  twitter  //  pinterest 

Apple Pie Bites

Long story short, I have a lot of apples from my Oma's apple tree that I have to find a use for. I found this tutorial for some Apple Pie Bites, and had to give it a shot! 

What You'll Need:

1 canister of crescent rolls dough
1-2 small apples, sliced
cinnamon
sugar
1 tsp melted butter

How to do it:

1. Lay out the crescent rolls on a baking sheet. Using a brush, brush the melted butter on the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Place an apple on the fat end and begin to roll up the dough as if it was a normal crescent roll.
2. Once rolled up, pinch firmly to keep the dough together. Brush more butter on top, and sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar. Heat oven to 375 and cook for about 11 minutes (ours were ready in less!). 

3. Once removed from the oven, set aside to cool. Serve while still warm and enjoy!

Halloween / Fall Wreath Tutorial

It has been so long since I've had a decent DIY to share with you guys! I am so excited to show you guys how to make this beautiful fall wreath!

This wreath cost me a total of $7.00 to make, and only took one evening (about two hours total). It's ridiculously easy, and turned out really cute! It was only on my door for about a day when a neighbor asked where I bought it from. 

To make this wreath you'll need to pick up a few things:
Styrofoam wreath  - Hobby lobby $4.00)
Candy Corn - 2 bags $2.00 (dollar tree)
Hot glue Sticks -$1.00 (for a package of 31 at Wal-Mart)
Ribbon - $1.00 (either purchased at Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart, I can't remember, I had it on hand)

How to do it:

1. Finding the ends (usually the part where you can tell it was glued together), start there, gluing down your candy corn as you go. You will want your ends to face each other. Do not go completely around the Styrofoam! This is my secret, but it helps the wreath lie flat if you don't. 

2. Continue to glue your candy corn down in the same pattern as before, ends touching ends, and white tops facing white tops. After a time or two around, it will start to twist a little bit. This is totally fine. Continue until you finish the wreath.

3. You may or may not have the ends all meet up. If not, great, because you get to cover that up with the ribbon! Using your hot glue, glue the ribbon down first. Then, separately, make your loop to hang the wreath with. Lastly, make your bow and hot glue that down as well. Let dry, and test out the loop to make sure it holds - this wreath gets HEAVY! I was surprised how heavy it got!

4. Display your wreath proudly and enjoy the leftover candy corn! You deserve it!

Birchbox Man Review (August Box)

When I signed up for Birchbox, I noticed they had an option for a second box for men. It shipped later in the month, was twice as much, but looked kind of cool, so knowing it was a huge gamble, we signed Bubba up for it. Today he is sharing his review of his first Birchbox Man box, so I'm letting Bubba take over.

The Box Itself:

The box itself seems really nice, it has a lot of good products I would have never thought to use. While the box took forever to get here, I was pleasantly surprised with the way it was packaged and presented.

Vitamin Face & Body Cleanser - $28
This has a great citrus scent to it, it left my skin feeling very soft and smooth. Dani even commented on the smell a few hours after a shower. This is a product I've never heard of, but would consider buying in the future.

Ernest Supplies - Cooling Shave Cream - $25
Another product with a citrus scent. I read the label and found out that it is truly all natural, and the smell proves it. It goes on like a lotion, and as you shave it cleans off like a normal shave cream. It does leave a bit of a residue but it helps with razor rash, and it leaves my skin smooth. 

Hanz de Fuko, Quicksand - $17.50
It helps give a strong all day hold for your hair, it really does help absorb the oil in your hair. 

Luxe Los Angeles Guide - $10
I honestly will probably will never use this. We hardly ever travel this far, and when we do we've already planned our trips enough to not need this guide. I don't foresee how this is very useful anyways, thanks to cell phones nowadays. 

Men in Cities - Leather Passport Case - $40
This is a very nice, lightweight leather case. It makes me want to travel, just to use it. This product alone made the cost of the Birchbox worthwhile, and was nice to have something like this that I could use in my daily life. 

I would refer this box to other guys out there, family, friends, co-workers. It's really nice to get something for yourself in the mail that isn't a bill. The surprise of not knowing what you are getting is fun, and the items being chosen for me is great. I can't wait for next month's box!
If you're interested, follow this link to sign up for your box!

Cinnamon Apple Cobbler

This Foodie Friday, I have a real treat for you guys. It's a fall delight, and it only takes four ingredients!
(Well, five if you count the ice cream).

Cinnamon Apple Cobbler

What you'll need:

2 Large Apples

1 box of vanilla cake mix
1 stick of butter

Cinnamon (to sprinkle on top later)

How to do it: 

1. In a baking dish, spray with non-stick spray. Cut apples into slices and layer until both apples are sliced and lying flat in the baking dish. Top with cake mix (I only used 1/2 of the cake mix).
2.Melt your butter completely and pour over the top of the mix. Set in the oven to bake - 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 

3. After a few minutes peek into the oven to make sure there are no dry patches of cake mix. If there is, remove from oven and using a spoon add water as needed. Return to oven.
4. When finished it should be a golden brown and cooked well. Let cool, and sprinkle with cinnamon (and sugar if you'd like!). Top with vanilla ice cream and serve!

Enjoy!

Workman Weds - Oktoberfest

If you haven't noticed yet, or if you're new around here. I'm a pretty legit Kraut.

Sometimes, when I'm pissy, I'm such a legit Kraut that I'm a sauerkraut. 

All jokes aside, we love Oktoberfest, but for one reason alone nowadays.
The music! Over the weekend we went to Oktoberfest to celebrate the beginning of fall and to enjoy the start of the new season..and to enjoy the music!

Snowbird offers up great festivities for the occasion. But that being said, I'm legit. There are some things that bother me. Like the fact that every douche bag in the state decides to come up, get shit-faced, and act like a total idiot. Or how terrible the food is, because its made cheaply, and totally wrong.
I mean, warm potato salad? Come on.

That being said, Snowbird has scored the best music and the best tent-life that I've seen yet at a festival. That and all the old krauts I've grown up with go and still celebrate the way Oktoberfest was meant to be. 

And not many things are more fun than singing German drinking songs at the top of your lungs, drinking or sober. 

Little dude loved to hear the music. We danced, we ate brats, and we sang along loudly.

Oh, and the men had to celebrate in the traditional way, naturally.

Do you go to Oktoberfest? Do you love it like we do?

P.s. Want to see my favorite German Drinking song?