My new BFFs are Stella & Dot

Earlier in the spring when I did my first Stella & Dot giveaway, you people loved it so much that I've decided to do one with every season.  We'll call this one, the beginning of Fall party!

I'm obsessed with Stella & Dot and it appears you are too!  I've decided that they're my new BFFs (sorry other BFFs, until you offer me fabulous and well-made jewelry at a great price, these ladies are in!).

Here are some of my favorite Stella & Dot things that I've collected over the years (and absolutely love!)...

 Serenity Stone Drops

I have all 3 of the colors listed above and wear them all the time!  Look how much fun they are!  They instantly make any outfit pop!

I love the Serenity Stone Drops so much that I have also purchased the Purple and Gold Serenity Small Drops as well.  I love, love, love them!

These little drops are smaller, lighter and just as eye-catching.

Last year, I won the pink pair of Seychelles Chandelier Earrings in a blog giveaway (so fun!) and loved them so much that I bought the navy and turquoise pair myself.  These are really lightweight and I seem to wear them almost every day.

And you know me...I'm a big earrings and bangles kind of gal.  So, what do I pair with my fabulous earrings???

These...

Stella & Dot have such a wide range of bracelets, bangles and wrap bands that it's the perfect place for mixing and matching textures, metals and materials.  You know me...I swoon over an armful of bracelets!

I'm really into the leather wrap bracelets for fall mixed with my gold jewelry.  

And lately, I've been coveting some of Sheafer's Stella & Dot necklaces...

I mean look at Sheaffer!  I know she's showing her readers her awesome jacket but I'm coveting that necklace!

And here it is again!  Look how it has instantly glammed up both of her outfits.

This fall, I'm thinking you might see me in some necklaces for a change.  I'm really into these right now...

I love the long necklaces and the pendents a lot!  You can layer them or just kind of add them to a basic tee for just a little more oomph!

So yes, my new besties Stella & Dot have gorgeous jewelry but I also discovered this year that they have fabulous totes and bags too.

Erika and I both got this bag last spring...and we LOVE it!  I took this bag on vacation with us to Spain for all of my carry-on items, I use it to tote around my kids' stuff, I take it as a bag for daily outings...I'm telling you, this bag is really good!  I love the red but I also love Erika's blue version and I'm kind of obsessed with the navy and white stripe too.

Isn't that pretty?!?!  I really didn't know about the bag until last spring but now, I'm in love with it.  I'm also in love my jewelry organizer and used it on our vacation too...

 I received this jewelry organizer as a gift and really loved using it on our vacation.  All of the jewelry I needed for 12 days fit inside all snug and safe.  I'm not sure if I would have thought to purchase this on my own, but I'm so glad someone thought to purchase it for me!  It fit perfectly inside my tote :).

You know I wouldn't talk about all of this wonderful Stella & Dot stuff without offering some kind of giveaway, right?  

This week, I'm giving away one of these cute cosmetic bags, a Trinity Pendant, and a pair of the Serenity Small Stone Drops earrings (you pick the color) to one of you.  That's a $127 prize!

Just enter the Rafflecopter below and a winner will be picked this Friday at midnight.

To check out all of the other fabulous things that make up Stella & Dot, check them out here.  Make sure you have me listed as your hostess!  If I want to continue giving things away on the blog, I need to be the hostess under your purchase!

Tomorrow, on Fifty Two Shades of Shay, I'll talk about organizing all of your jewelry so that it's easy to find, not damaged, and fits neatly in your space.  

And today on the foodie blog...my Fall preview.  

So many ideas and a suggested grocery shopping list for your fall pantry!

 Have a great Monday!

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Lovely Lace Leggings Giveaway!

Um, hello gorgeous.

How fabulous are these red lace leggings?!  When I asked my friends at Lovely Lace Leggings if they wanted to do another giveaway with me (because you guys loved the last one!), they said yes...and let's focus on back to school.  Perfect.

With school approaching, I know that I'll be thinking leggings for Kensington too.  The Lovely Lace Leggings she has right now, she's worn over and over again.  They wash well, they hold up and they are just so adorable under any outfit.  I am obsessed with them!

The lovely people at Lovely Lace Leggings said they will give away two pairs of red lace leggings (as shown above) to two different winners (the winner gets to pick the size they want).  All you have to do to win is enter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest ends at midnight on Friday, so enter now for the red lace leggings and then hop on over to Lovely Lace Leggings' website and see the other fun colors they have!  They're offering Buy One, Get One for my readers as well!  Just enter MMMBOGO as your coupon code.

Don't forget to check me out in the kitchen this morning...

My Tex-Mex Brisket Salad is perfect for dinner!

Have a great Monday!

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Barcelona & Riviera Cruise: Days 1 & 2

Oh.my.heavens!  Andrew and I just returned from 12 days in Spain along with a Riviera cruise that took us to Italy, Monaco and France.  We had the very, very best time!  Over the next few days, I'll be sharing some pics of our trip.  But let's be honest...without my kiddos on the trip with us...it's going to be a lot of selfies of Andrew and me.  

OK...let's begin!

Day 1...me at the airport.  At this point, I know it's going to be a fabulous vacation!  I have my latte, my novels, my magazines, my cookbooks and my hubby.  I'm in my happy place!  We flew from DFW to New York where we had a 3 hour layover and then took a 10 hour flight to Barcelona.

We arrived at 7:30 am in Barcelona and went straight to our hotel.  We felt so blessed because they had our room ready for us when we arrived!  Thank heavens!!  We stayed at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona. I think we've decided this was the nicest hotel we've ever stayed in.  We had a huge window view of both the city (here) and...

...the beach.  The hotel was right on the water.  The room was huge and gorgeous and the bathroom was fabulous.   As seasoned travelers, our best advice is this...do not sleep when you arrive!  Even though you're tired and have jet lag...if you sleep, you will never acclimate!  We showered, put on fresh clothes, had a cup of coffee and headed out to see Barcelona.  (I repeat, do not sleep!).

Our first stop was the famous La Sagrada Familia cathedral.  Beautiful!

After seeing the cathedral, we headed to the main shopping area in Barcelona called Las Ramblas where we proceeded to walk 6 miles over the course of the day.  We just love walking and taking in the city.  We stopped in shops, we ate ice cream, we really savored the day.

Walking 6 miles earns a girl 2 scoops!

We stopped in this cafe for lunch (pizza!) and a quiet spot to take in the city.

We walked back by the beach on our way to dinner.  The Barcelona beach is really beautiful and packed with people.

And here we are headed to dinner.  At this point, we had been up for over 36 hours and walked 6 miles...after we took this pic, we headed for cheeseburgers and fries!  A much deserved treat after such a busy day!

More vacation to come!  To see days 3 & 4 click here.

Happy Friday everyone!  Make sure you check this out below...

I'm celebrating my 100th Bundt Cake with a $100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway!

You better run over to Mix and Match Mama and check out my all-time favorite Bundt Cake and enter to win that Visa gift card.

Monday, I'll be announcing Bundt Cake #100!  Have a great weekend and I'll see you soon!!

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Meet my friends, Lulu and Georgia...

Oh heavens!  Do you know Lulu and Georgia?  I didn't until about a month ago...and now I love them!

Lulu and Georgia is an online home decor boutique specializing in rugs, pillows, furniture and accessories.  They contacted me and said that because they love all things Bachelor (and honestly, don't we all?!), they would love to giveaway $100 to a reader of mine to shop their site.  Hello?!  $100 to spend on home decor...is that fabulous or what?!  Now, we can all love Lulu and Georgia (and of course, the Bachelor!).

Here is just a peak into their wonderful world...

Fun, right?  And they're making this giveaway simple too! 

All you need to do is participate below to enter to win.  I will announce the winner later this week!  In the meantime, make sure you check out Lulu and Georgia and their fabulous stuff!

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Find me on Twitter here.

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Don't forget to take a trip to my foodie blog and see my Hawaiian Luau Bundt Cake...it's Bundt Cake #95!  Summer called...and it loved this cake!

Happy Monday!

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Fifty Two Shades of Shay: Summer Reads (with a big Boo Mama giveaway!)

I have been looking forward to this Shade of Shay for months!  

Several months ago, my friend Sophie (a.k.a. Boo Mama) asked me if she could send me an advanced copy of her book to read and review.  Two major things happened in that last sentence: 1. Sophie and I are friends!  I have decided she is one of my favorite people...she is so sweet, so encouraging, so supportive, so funny and has really blessed me in the short time that I've gotten to know her.  So, yes!  I would happily read her book.  And the second thing, I got an advanced copy of this fabulous book and loved every sentimental/hysterical/well-written page.  I savored it.  So, without a doubt...this is my number one summer read this season.  

And at the bottom of this post, Pinterest Told Me To, Blue-Eyed Bride and I are giving away 9 copies of the book to some lucky readers...keep reading...

Me on an airplane...I read the entire book front to back on my flight. I couldn't put it down!

Other than Sophie's book, what else do I read over the summer?  This is me...

1. I love to read.  Love, love, love it!  But I don't feel like I have enough hours in my day to read as much as I would like.  So, I tend to read a lot of magazines during the school year since they're easier to pick and put down...but during the summer, I'm all about the books.

2. I like to read easy stuff.  No brainers.  I like to pick up a book that immediately draws me in, entertains me and gives me a little escape.  Reading to me should be relaxing, not work.  

3. I like books that are uplifting. Why read a book that's going to depress me?  That doesn't sound like a fun time!

4. I read a variety of fiction, non-fiction, autobiographical, parenting, how-to, etc.  I like to mix things up.

Here are my suggestions for books to read this summer...books you'll love to pick up and won't want to put down.  And you'll see...I have a wide variety of interests...

1. Pray Big For Your Child by Will Davis Jr.

If you're looking for a book about raising a faithful kid, this is a great one.  This book gives you a lot of specific ways to pray for your kids, encourage them and encourage you as a parent.

2. Sparkly Green Earrings by Melanie Shankle

I've blogged about this book before.  It's hysterical!  It's about Melanie's journey through motherhood but written in the most relatable, hysterical way.  You won't be able to put it down...and I promise you, you'll laugh your head off!   

3. Mom, Inc.: The Essential Guide to Running a Successful Business Close to Home 

I have read this book several times.  It's a great book about running a business from your home. I look back at this book often because of the really helpful tips, tricks and info for working from home moms.  If you do work from home or would like to, you should read this book.

4. Anything by Emily Giffin

She is one of my very favorite "easy read" authors.  Here are a few of her books that I could read over and over again...

I have read all of these and they're just so fun and simple...perfect for the pool.

5. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic

I read this book last fall and then immediately read it again.  It really gave me some encouragement and perspective about mothering my young kids.  It was funny, easy to read and hopeful. 

6. A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy

Maeve Binchy is another one of my favorite authors.  I love her plots, her storylines, her humor and especially the way she describes the setting.  This was her final book before she passed away last year...it's definitely on my "to-read" list.

Ok...so a few options for you.  But...now for the big FUN!  I'm joining forces with Blue-Eyed Bride and Pinterest Told Me To to give away 9 copies each of Boo Mama's new book A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet.  All you need to do is enter below...and there are several easy ways to enter (because honestly, why enter once when you can enter several times?).  You will love this heartwarming book...every single page of it.

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One last thing, don't forget to check out my foodie blog today for your easy dinner recipe!  You're going to love this recipe...

...baked burritos!  They are delish!

Find me on Twitter here.

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Find me on Instagram  @mixandmatchmama

And I've had questions about upcoming Fifty Two Shades of Shay topics...this summer, stay tuned for Vacation Budgeting, Beachy Hair, Laundry Tips, Wearing Short-Shorts (and lookin' better than ever!), My Favorite Magazines and so on...we have a lot of ground to cover this summer!

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Fifty Two Shades of Shay: The Pool Bag (with a giveaway!)

Let's be real here.  I am pretty darn organized.  So organized that I can't include "being organized" as one Shade of Shay...I have to break them down.  But pool bags?  Really?  Should that be a Shade of Shay?  Why yes it should.

You see...several years ago when I had a 21 month old and a 5 month old and was schlepping the three of us to the pool everyday during the summer, I realized something...I better get my act together quickly!  (And why was I taking two babies to the pool?  Because it's so hot in Texas that sometimes being inside in the A/C isn't cooling enough!  You have to head to water!).

So...I made a real effort to get my pool bag in check.  Make it organized, keep it organized and make it make my life easier.  And for the last 3 summers, I have done just that.  

I give you my tips and tricks for your pool bag (or park bag...or whatever bag you have that schleps you and your kids' stuff everywhere!).

1. Get a big, sturdy bag.  When I say big...I mean BIG!  Honestly, you would rather carry around one gigantic bag than four smaller bags.

This is my pool bag :)

And designate it "the pool bag".  If you try and make this bag multi-purpose then you're constantly taking things out and adding them back in...and losing things, blah, blah, blah.  It will never stay organized.

2. Pack a separate smaller bag for lunches.  And place that bag inside your big bag.  I've blogged about these little thermal totes for years and years...but I use them every.single.day.  They keep your food cold, they don't leak and they fit inside a large bag.

I use either one of these (depending on how much food I'm bringing).

3. Keep at least 2 kinds of sunscreen in your bag at all times (adult and kid).  I have other sunscreen in my bathroom, near my backdoor, etc., but I always keep two designated bottles in my pool bag...because you never want to forget that!

4. Keep several plastic grocery bags inside the pool bag.  Before we leave the pool, I always strip my kids down, put their wet clothes in the grocery bag and change them into dry clothes.  This way, when we get home, I don't have to wrangle wet kids...I can just let them in the house and they're already dry.  Plus, if they fall asleep in the car, I can move them inside to nap and not have to wake them by changing them.  It just seems to make my life smoother if they come home already dry.

5. Only bring pool toys that you're prepared to lose.  Do not, under any circumstance, bring pool toys for your kids that either of you are extremely attached to.  If you bring a pool toy, be prepared to never see it again.  I decided several years ago, that I had to stop worrying about and fretting over getting our toys back before we headed home (because you're bound to lose them, have another child take them, etc. at the pool).  My kids know that pool toys are basically community property, so if they take something to swim, it better be something they don't have to have.  McDonald's Happy Meal toys are the best pool toys!  They're free inside your kids' Happy Meals, they're small and almost always plastic...perfect for the pool.

6. Keep an extra pair of sunglasses, Chapstick, bag of wipes and anti-bacterial in the pocket.  These are just things that if you need, you're so glad you have.  Sitting around a pool for hours with chapped lips or no sunglasses is brutal...I always keep extras handy.

7. Store your beach towels in your pool bag.  I have about 6 random beach towels at my house...and I store them on top of my pool bag in my hall closet.  This way, when we leave for the day, I'm always assured that we have towels with us (because showing up to swim and forgetting your towels is a real bummer!).  We obviously don't use all six, but if they're sitting right there on top, then I can just remove how many we don't need and the rest stay in my bag.  This way, I'm not running around the house trying to find towels...they're sitting on top of the bag waiting on me.

8. At the end of swim season, clean out your bag and store it for next year.  I keep my bag in the hall closet during swim season but when it's over, I clean everything out, vacuum it with my dust buster and store it until the next summer somewhere else.  This way, when the following summer rolls around, it's cleaned out and ready to go.

For lunch...make things simple!  I always make lunch in advance the night before and store it inside my thermal tote in the fridge.  Then the next morning, I just grab our lunches, toss them in my giant bag and we're ready to go.  Click here to see my lunch ideas.

And since we're talking about pool bags...my friend Nancy thought it would be a great idea to do a pool bag giveaway!  I would be a hot mess without my thermal totes and swimming pool bags...so, Nancy is going to giveaway one of these large utility totes to a reader of mine this week...

...all you have to do is leave me a comment on this post saying hi and that enters you to win.  One comment per person please.  The contest ends at 4:00 AM CST this Friday, June 7 when a lucky random winner will be announced.

In the meantime, you should totally check out all of the other Thirty One stuff as well.  Like those little thermal totes...you'll love them for lunch!  My kids each use one for their school lunches.  I love them because they fold up nice in their backpacks and keep everything cool or warm until they're ready to eat.  Click here to see the entire catalog.

And June has arrived!  What does that mean?  It's time for Grillin' Season!
This week on my foodie blog is Grillin' Week!  Stop by and check it out!  I'm grillin' up something different each day (including a dessert) to make your summer simple and easy (and delicious too!).  Today, I'm grilling a BBQ Pizza...easy and delicious!

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Contest closed!  Click here to see the result!

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