What to Wear: New Year's Eve

Hi everyone!

There's still one Holiday left in 2013: New Year's Eve! I'm so excited because this year I'm going to Athens! I can't wait to see all my college friends and my sorority sisters -- I miss them so much! Luckily, I haven't had to worry too much about what I'm wearing, because New Year's is the best night to wear sparkles!

I saw an outfit similar to this on Pintrest, and I knew I had to try it for New Year's! A gold sparkly dress with black booties is always fun, and I'm adding my black leather jacket -- partly because it'll make the fancy dress more casual, and partly because it's going to be really cold in Athens! Black tights under the dress also will also help fight the chill. Finish the look with a black and gold clutch (something with a chain will be less likely to get lost). Such a sparkly dress needs minimal jewelry, so I'm only adding gold drop earrings.

I'm so excited to be back in Athens, and I can't wait to ring in 2014 with all my friends!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Merry Christmas to All!

Hi everybody!

I hope everybody's Christmases were everything they'd hoped for!

Our Christmas activities officially ended tonight with dinner with my grandparents -- of course, that was after Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which were both filled to the brim with socializing and family, and of course, presents! Despite asking for almost nothing for myself, I was still showered with lovely gifts of clothes, shoes, and all things Lilly! A pink and green Christmas is the best kind, after all!

I am so blessed to be surrounded with such loving friends and family, and I'm so glad I got to spend Christmas with them!

Have a lovely day, and may all your Christmases be pink and green!
XO,
Carson

On Being Charitable During Christmas

Hi everybody!

I hope everybody is enjoying their holiday breaks, or for the unlucky ones who are still taking exams I hope they are all going well! While we're all home for Christmas, I'd like to encourage everybody to take my challenge: do something that betters your community every day leading up to Christmas.

My church allowed my family, and many other families, the opportunity to go Christmas shopping for a less fortunate family in the Atlanta area, and I think it was the most fun I've had since I've been home. As someone who has always enjoyed philanthropy work, I was really excited to go pick out all the toys we would give our adopted family. Mama and I went to target yesterday and we had so much fun playing with Barbie Dream Houses and Tonka trucks! It was so great to let my inner child play, and I know that the children we shopped for will have fun playing with their toys all year.

So, my challenge is to create your own kind of Advent calendar, but instead of receiving a piece of chocolate, remind yourself why we celebrate Christmas. It can be as small as dropping a few dollars into the Salvation Army bucket when you pass it at the grocery store; the small acts add up to the big acts that make the holiday season so special.

And then maybe reward yourself with a piece of chocolate, because, after all, it is Christmas!

Have a lovely day, and let me know how you do on my challenge!
XO,
Carson

What to Wear: Christmas Party

Hi Everyone!

I'm so so so happy to finally be home for Christmas break! It's so nice to be able to sleep in a real bed again, but I already miss my hallmates and sisters so much!

In other news, Mama is throwing a Christmas party on Sunday, and I've been really stressing out about what to wear. Seriously, I spent thirty minutes on the phone with my best friend (sorry for distracting you from studying!) while we discussed the pros and cons of every item of clothing I own. It's going to be a stressful day for various reasons, and I need to look polished and put-together, but also drop-dead gorgeous enough to make my Atlanta friends wonder what happened to me between high school and college! Here's what I finally decided on!

I decided on this adorable J. Crew gold striped mini skirt as the base for my outfit. It's the holidays, so it's fun to wear a little sparkle, but this skirt doesn't overdo it! On top, I've chosen a simple, black v-neck sweater -- a little slouch on top dresses down the sparkly skirt to make it appropriate for a day-time, family Christmas party. Since this is a family party, I put some sheer-ish black tights on underneath the short skirt so I can show some leg without actually showing leg, and my black booties up the fun level. To finish the look, I've chosen some simple gold accessories like this headband, gold studs, and of course, my signature horseshoe pendant!

I'm so excited to see everybody from my high school...it'll be the first time I've seen most of them since August!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Top 5 Nail Colors for the Holidays

Hi everybody!

I'm still on my Christmas themed posts! I love love love nail polish and painting my nails certain colors to look good in pictures (skinny arm pics make your fingertips show, and they can't be plain!). With so many pictures about to be taken at Christmas parties, I thought I'd go ahead and show y'all my favorite shades!

1. OPI: The Thrill of Brazil -- I always love classic red nails! They add a little punch, and red is one of my favorite colors!

2. OPI: I Snow You Love Me -- the holidays  the best time to wear sparkly nail polish since all the clothes are sparkly too! Silver is so easy and goes with everything!

3. Essie: Blanc -- My favorite thing about white nail polish is that you can draw designs in sharpie on top of the dried white polish, then paint over with a clear topcoat to make the drawings stay!

4. OPI: Cute Little Vixen -- oxblood is everywhere right now...it's a more sophisticated, fun twist on red nails!

5. Essie: After School Boy Blazer -- for some reason I wear a lot of navy over the holidays, and navy nail polish pulls everything together!

An added bonus to fun nails? I tend to study better when I look down and see pretty nails! Finally, finals are a good excuse to get a manicure!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

What to Get: Guy's Christmas

Hi everybody!

As I mentioned earlier I absolutely love shopping for all my friends for Christmas! Unfortunately, guys are incredibly hard to shop for, so here's three go-to gifts I usually give my guy friends!

1. Bow-ties -- so classy and southern, and if you give them a tie in school colors, your friends can wear them on game-day!

2. How to Be a Gentleman -- I know one guy who for sure will be getting this for Christmas, but other books (especially Total Frat Move) are great too!

3. My very best guy friend specifically asked for a nice flask, and I found him a pretty stainless steel one that I can have monogrammed for him!

I can't think of anything else my guy friends would like for Christmas, so if y'all have any more ideas let me know!

Have a lovely day!

XO

Carson

What to Get: Girly Christmas

Hi everyone!

I had such a great day yesterday eating turkey and being with family, but now that Thanksgiving's over, it's time to start planning for my favorite time of year: Christmas! I love picking out gifts for all my family and friends, and I can't wait to go shopping -- but not on Black Friday...too many people. My girlfriends are so much fun to shop for because I get to pick out all the girly things I love for myself and share it with them!

1. Lilly Wristlets -- this has been a staple gift for me for years because they're so cute! I love all the fun Lilly prints, and you can get each friend their own! They're also really useful for when you go out -- you don't even have to take a purse because everything you need fits right inside!

2. Nail polish -- a perfect, inexpensive gift for the girls you love but don't know super well -- every girl loves nail polish! I love picking out fun holiday colors they can use all season long!

3. Personalized stationary -- I love this adorable stationary from C.Wonder! Stationary can be so classic, and feminine, and you get to show it off when you write all your Christmas thank you notes! (If you don't know how to write one, click here).

4. Dogeared Necklaces -- I have loved giving these necklaces to my closest friends for years! They are made of really high-quality materials and come with sweet notes about the meaning of the necklace -- everything from Karma to Lucky to Best Friends! I also love pendant necklaces because they can really show off your personality!

5. Crafty anything -- for my crafty readers, try making something that comes from the heart! This is perfect for girlfriends, as guy friends won't appreciate a painted canvas or memory jar as much, and you can put your personality and her personality into it to make something she'll love!

I can't wait to give my friends their presents, and open some of my own!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

What to Wear: Chilly Gamedays

Hi everyone!

I can't believe I don't have any more home game weekends for freshman year! I feel so bad I didn't even go to the game; I watched it in my cozy basement instead of freezing in Sanford Stadium. I was definitely there in spirit, though, and I sported my red and black all day long! Here's what I wore yesterday, and am definitely wearing again for our bowl game!

I love red jeans for cold game days because they're a great way to show your Bulldawg pride but still stay warm! On top, I love this white Joie top, but it's kind of sheer so layer with a red bandeau and a chunky black sweater, also from Joie. A simple black cross-body bag transitions easily from the game to downtown, and cowboy boots are comfy and keep feet warm all day!

Go Dawgs!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

What to Wear: Nights Out

Hi everyone!

I've been having so much fun in Athens, and one of my favorite things to do on the weekends is go downtown! It was so much fun when it was warmer to pick out what I was going to wear, but now that it's cooled off my options are severely limited. If I wear warm clothes, I risk being too hot once I get inside, but if I don't dress warm enough, I'll freeze on my walk there! Here's the general formula for how I dress when I'm going downtown in the cooler weather!

I always base my outfit on what jeans I want to wear that night, since jeans can do so much for an outfit. I usually wear bootcut jeans, but I've also recently discovered that skinny jeans aren't that bad. I love straight-leg jeans like these from American Eagle because they're not as constricting as true skinny jeans, but they aren't as relaxed as boot cuts. Also the denim from AE is so soft, and all my jeans from there have lasted a long time! On top, I usually pick a simple tank with fun embellishments like the dark straps on this white top from Beginning Boutique. Over that, I choose a light-ish jacket, and I'm in love with my leather jacket at the moment! I usually keep my accessories simple, such as this white cross-body bag (a must for going out since it's hands free!) and wedges like these black booties from Jessica Simpson that add a little height. Of course, I couldn't go out without my signature horseshoe necklace!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

My Christmas List

Hi everyone!

I am so beyond sorry I've been MIA for literally months, but I've been so insanely busy! College is hard, y'all! Between DZ, school, and football season, I haven't had a moment off since August! But I promise to be better from now on :).

In other news, here's what I'm asking for for Christmas!

1. Anything DZ -- especially slippers, a baseball cap, or anorak

2. Fleece-lined leggings -- I woke up this morning and it was 25 degrees outside. Needless to say, I was really wishing I'd had these.

3. A donation to my UGA Miracle donation drive!

4. Portable Lilly Pulitzer speakers -- I would love to have these so I could listen to my music in the shower.

What are y'all asking for for Christmas? Let me know!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

It's Gameday!

Hi everybody!

Yesterday was our first home game at UGA, and it was so much fun!

My friends and I had such a great time tailgating together, and I loved everyone's red and black dresses!

My parents had a tailgate that we stopped by, and it was so nice to see them!

My friend Carter was my date for the game, and we had so much fun!

It was also pretty nice to beat South Carolina! GO DAWGS!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

How to Be Sick in College

Hi everyone!

I had such a lovely, relaxing weekend at home, I was almost able to forget I have a cold. Yes, me, who never gets sick...a month into college and I already have a cold. And, what's worse, it's my first time being sick without Mamma to take care of me! So, here's my tips to make a speedy recovery to everybody who can't imagine being alone with nobody to take care of you, and a few tips to avoid getting sick in the first place.

When you're already sick:
1. NyQuil -- learn to love it. You're so active during the day that most of your recovery time is while you're asleep. DayQuil for some reason also makes me sleepy, so I only take it after I'm done with class for the day; NyQuil at least makes it so that I can actually sleep when I have a cold, and sleep is a valued resource. Cough medicine (I personally like Delsym) also keeps your roommate happy because you're not keeping him/her up all night!
2. Take it easy -- I'm not saying you have to sit at home all day when you're not in class, but at least try to remember that the more you push your body, the less effectively it can recover from what it's already dealing with. I don't become completely antisocial unless I'm really sick, at which point I'm not much fun to be around anyways.
3. Don't be afraid of the health center -- I personally didn't go this time because I knew I only have a cold and it will go away, but there are girls on my hall who have already had much more serious issues (think infected cuts, etc.) and have not hesitated to go to the doctor. You're paying for them to be there, so go see them!

When everybody else is sick:
1. Hand sanitizer -- in college, you touch everything, and so does everybody else. We touch doors to buildings, and the hand scanners that let us in to eat, and computers, and chairs...you get the idea. You are now indirectly touching at least fifty different strangers on any given day -- hand sanitizer will be your best friend.
2. Don't touch your face -- remember those fifty strangers you share things with every day? Now their germs are on your face...ew.
3. Don't eat or drink after anybody -- I used to really not care about this one, but now I'm super protective of my food. People tend to understand if you don't want to share fries -- protect yourself!

I used to not be a germophobe, and I still don't think I am, but when you're sharing the same air with 975 other first-years all living in your building, certain measures have to be taken.

What else can I do?? I will not get sick again...this has been miserable!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Packing for College: Part 2

Hi everybody!

I wanted to wait to do part 2 of my Packing for College series until I figured out what I was actually using here at school! My original packing list was kind of extensive:

I have actually found that I'm using just about everything I packed, so that's good! I wasn't sure I would actually wear my sundresses and skirts all that often, but I have gotten a lot of use out of them so far, just not to class. I thought I would try to look cute for school, but that quickly turned into nike shorts and a t-shirt. On that note, don't feel the need to pack a ton of t-shirts, because I've only been here a month, and I've already gained at least 10.

At some point next week, I'll do a series of posts on how my dorm is organized, and I'll show y'all how OCD I went on my drawers and closet!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

What's In My Bag: College Edition

Hi everyone!

I've made it through about a week and a half of classes, and I feel like I've settled into a routine pretty easily. I wake up, go to class until one o'clock, eat lunch and go to the gym, do my homework, then go to dinner with my friends or to a Greek function. One thing I carried over from high school, though, is that I pack my school bag the night before! I still wake up kind of early most days (I didn't think 7:45 would feel early but it definitely does!), so I don't want to have to worry about making sure I grab everything before running out the door in the morning. Here's what I usually have in my backpack now that I'm in college!

Clockwise from top:

I love my North Face backpack! I used the same one all four years of high school, and I had to get a new one this year because my old one finally fell apart! They're super durable, have tons of room to fit everything, and my new one has my monogram on it!

I'm still a big believer in using a binder for each class (I promise I'll do a post on my college study skills once I've got those all the way figured out!). This year, all my binders are white, but they each have a super cute Lilly Pulitzer binder cover!

iPhone and keys: duh, but they did give us baby turtles a super cute DZ wallet that's now attached to my keys!

Y'all know how I live out of my planner, and I literally don't go anywhere without it! It's already filled with a semester's worth of school and sorority dates!

A lot of people don't, but I usually carry my laptop. Most of my homework is online now, so it's nice to be able to get some of it done during my break between classes.

My mom and sister sent me up a whole collection of Delta Zeta goodies, and I've been using the make-up bag as a pencil pouch. It's stocked with all my favorite mechanical pencils, pens, and some colorful markers to decorate my planner!

I don't think I'm forgetting anything, but if y'all can think of something let me know!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Lilly Goodies!

Hi everyone!!

So I already told y'all that, after a crazy week of Sorority recruitment, I have pledged Delta Zeta! I am so happy to be a baby turtle -- I already love my pledge class and all of the older sisters!

One of the best perks (at least for me) of pledging DZ is that our Lilly print is adorable. As soon as I told my mom and sister that I received a bid, they ran to Lilly to pick up some goodies!

via

This is the entire collection, and Mama and Mary Reeves sent me the tote bag, the cup, the makeup bag, the scarf, and the bangle! I always pack my tote bag when I take clothes to the house to get ready with my sisters, and I'm using the makeup bag as a pencil pouch! The bangle has gotten tons of wear, and lots of compliments, but I need it to cool off some so I can wear the scarf.

I also found out that Lilly Pulitzer herself was a Delta Zeta, which explains why we have the cutest Lilly pattern!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Our Room!!

Hi everyone!

I've been so so so busy with Rush and Bid Night that I haven't had any time to write! I'm so sorry! But I thought, since I've been talking about getting things for my dorm room for months that I'd show y'all how it finally turned out!

Pretty cute, right!

I would also like to announce that I pledged Delta Zeta!!! I'm a Baby Turtle!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

I'm Gonna Miss This

Hi everyone!

I can't believe that I am going to Athens on Monday. My parents have an apartment in Athens, so we're going to spend the night there to try to beat everyone to the front of the line on move-in day. That's a good plan and all, since patience is not a virtue that runs deep in my family, but that also means that I have today and tomorrow to say goodbye to everyone and everything I'm going to miss while I'm at school.

My friends

My family

My horses, Katy (right) and Zeus (left)

My dog, Dixie

It's definitely bittersweet to leave, but I'm so excited to be heading off to UGA!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Happy Lilly New Year!

Hi everyone!

The first day of the Lilly Pulitzer 2013-2014 agenda is today, which makes it the Lilly New Year! I'm super excited to use my new agenda for my first year of college!

I got mine in the Lulu print!

Lilly also made one major change to the agenda from last year: laminated tabs! This makes me soo happy, since the tabs got so bent and ripped in my bag last year!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

My Top 5 Favorite Perfumes

Hi everyone!

Every girl has that one girly thing that they're addicted to -- shoes, handbags, makeup...the list is endless. My "thing" is perfumes. I love collecting different scents and pretty bottles, and I never feel like an outfit is complete unless I have perfume on. I love picking scents based on my mood or the weather or what I'm doing that day. My perfume collection isn't over the top huge, but here's the top five scents I wear most often!

1. Nina by Nina Ricci -- The first thing that drew me to this perfume was the pretty apple-shaped bottle, but it also smells delicious. It starts out smelling really florally, but turns more fruity (especially...wait for it...apples!) as it warms up. I usually wear this scent for fancy events like Prom when I want to smell extra girly and springy.

2. Daisy by Marc Jacobs -- This was the first perfume in my collection! I usually wear it to important, but not super fancy, events because the fresh, fruity smell gives me a little confidence boost!

3. Touch of Pink by Lacoste -- This is my everyday perfume -- it's soft and feminine, not overpowering!

4. Loverdose by Diesel -- This perfume contains a little bit of everything. It's floral and spicy, soft and powerful, and it contains one of my favorite scents: vanilla! I usually wear this on dates since the potent combination of scents makes me feel hot!

5. Sensual Amber from Bath and Body Works -- Okay, this one isn't technically a perfume, it's a body mist, but I still adore it! Amber is one of my favorite scents for fall and winter. I love spraying it on and curling up in a cozy sweater to study or watch a movie!

What are some of y'alls favorite perfumes?

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Lilly Fall 2013

Hi everyone!

Lilly Pulitzer's Fall 2013 line came out today, and I've already visited the Lilly store at Phipps mall to check it out!

Dresses

Pemberton Dress -- Beckett Dress -- Sherlynn Dress

I love shirt dresses, and this year Lilly came out with three! The material on the Beckett dress is sooo soft!

Rhea Dress -- Hera Dress

I also adore the lace necklines on these two cocktail dresses!

Tops

Sunset Top -- Daisy Cardigan

The Sunset Top is so swingy and fun, and I basically live in cardigans during the fall!

Bottoms

Worth Skinny Mini

 The Worth Skinny Mini pants fit awesomely, and they come in fun brights like this gold as well as regular denim!

I can't wait to go back to Lilly to pick up some of my favorite items!

 Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Get Crafty: Bulletin Boards

Hi everyone!

When I went dorm shopping, I didn't see a bulletin board that I liked. I wanted to do something unique, so Mama and I made some custom cork boards yesterday! They turned out super cute, and I got to pick the pattern we used (finding cute coral-and-navy things is super hard!). Here's how we did it:

Supplies: Cork boards of any size, an inexpensive pillow case, scissors, and a stapler.

Step 1: Cut the seams on one side and the end of the pillow case so all the fabric is laying out and place the cork board on the pillow case. 

Step 2: Cut the pillow case so that there is about 1"-2" of fabric showing on each side of the board.

Step 3: Fold over two opposite sides and secure with three staples. Make sure to pull the fabric tight so that there are no wrinkles on the front side of the board. 

Step 4: Before doing the other two sides, fold a mini hospital corner (like making a bed) on each of the four corners and secure with staples. If you don't know how to make a hospital corner, hold the corner of the fabric up and fold it over to make a triangle.

Step 5: Secure the other two sides with staples

 Ta da! 

I love them, and they match the rest of the coral-and-navy items my roommate and I chose!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Packing for College: Part 1

Hi everyone!

With two weeks until move-in day, I started packing everything I plan on taking to Athens! I focused on non-clothing items today since I'll definitely need to keep using those, but I got most of my things packed. I still totally believe in using packing lists so I don't forget anything, and this is what mine looks like!

So I packed most of my stuff in moving boxes. I know there's mixed opinion on those, but my parents had them laying around from a recent move, so I figured I'd just re-use them.

I still have a few things to add, but this is basically what it looks like!

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Adding to the Dix-onary

Hi everyone!

I saw this on Pintrest today and thought it would be a perfect addition to my Dix-onary post from a few weeks ago (if you haven't read it, click here).

Also, it just made me smile :)

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

Five Things to Do on Rainy Days

Hi everyone!

It's rained basically every day for the past two weeks in Atlanta, and when it's not raining it's ridiculously hot and humid, so I've been finding ways to entertain myself indoors. I usually go ride in the mornings, then maybe lay by the pool or go to lunch, but it always seems to be raining by three o'clock, so I have to find something to do inside. Here's how I've been spending my past few days!

1. Learn to make perfect Quick Grits -- my Mamma makes amazing grits...it's actually the food I'm going to miss the most next year! Quick grits made with water just aren't as creamy and delicious as Mamma's, but hers are not good for you and take a while to make, so we figured out how to tweak the Quick Grits recipe a bit to make them tastier: substitute the water for milk and cream! For example, if the box calls for 1 cup of water, instead add one half cup of milk and one half cup of cream to the dry grits. Almost as good as Mamma's and way easier!
2. Learn to do laundry -- Okay, I actually learned how to do laundry a while ago (Mamma's been making me do my own for months now), but if I hadn't learned, rainy days seem like a perfect time to do so!
3. Clean out your room -- I love cleaning my room in the rain! I have a bunch of windows in my room, so I can hear the rain outside, which I've always found super relaxing. Besides, there's if there's nothing better to do, why not reorganize?
4. Make a photo album -- I got a super cute Lilly Pulitzer photo album, and I've been filling it up with my favorite pictures from high school! It'll look really cute on my desk, and I can't wait to look back with my friends from high school!
5. Relax -- Think about it: I've only got 15 days left in my house! I've been soaking up as much time as I can laying in my own bed, showering without shoes on, and playing with my dog!

I think I've been mostly productive! Any other pre-college to-do's I'm missing?

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Happy Birthday, Mamma!

Happy birthday to the most amazing Mamma in the whole world!

Me and Mamma before Senior Prom

Have a lovely day!

XO,

Carson

How to Pack and Unpack Like a Pro

Hi everyone!

With all the trips I've been taking lately, I thought I'd share a little of my wisdom on packing. It's one of my talents -- I haven't checked a bag when flying in over a decade (and the last time I did, it was when my family moved to Amsterdam when I was seven years old!), and I can successfully pack for an entire weekend in the small Vera Bradley duffel bag. Maybe it's my underlying OCD-ish tendencies (most of y'all have seen my planner, but if not, click here), or maybe it's genetic -- my dad travels a lot, and he taught me the art of packing -- but one way or another I got the gift.

When Packing:

This is what my bag for my Sea Island trip looked like while I was putting everything together. I like to lay out everything I plan on taking on my floor in groups -- at the top are my shoes, and my pajamas, then my dresses, shorts, tops, tee shirts, running clothes, and bathing suits. When I go to put everything in the suitcase, I can recount and make sure I have enough of each item. For some things (ie. socks) I like to pack at least one extra set, in case I need to use two in one day, but for everything else (shorts, dresses, etc.) I only pack one for each day. If I want to be really economical, I pack a different shirt for every day, but only a few pairs of shorts, especially if I'll have access to a washing machine. When I go to put everything in my bag, my shoes go on the bottom, with clothes on top, and my oddly shaped items or things I may have to take out in security on top. My biggest general rule, however, is that I never stuff small items in my shoes that I would be embarrassed if they fell out in front of people. It only took one time of trying to hurry to put my shoes on before dinner and having to dump panties on the floor to figure that out...

Here's what it looks like when it's all in there!

When Unpacking:

So, I forgot to take a picture when I repacked my stuff from the beach, because, well, I was at the beach, but when I do, I put my shoes on the bottom, with my dirty clothes on top of the shoes. On top of the dirty clothes, I put a barrier of cosmetic bags and books to contain the dirty portion, and I layer my clean clothes on top. Then, when I go to unpack at home, I can just take the top layer and put everything where it belongs in my closet (in the picture, the clean pile is on the far right). After I put away my barrier layer, I separate the dirty clothes into colors, darks, and whites for machine washing (three middle piles), and I make a pile of hand-wash (far left) and dry-clean (top). I usually have enough laundry in each pile to do a whole load, and this way I don't have to go back and separate later. Yay, multitasking!

So, the key to my packing system isn't about finding sneaky, creative ways to stuff a ton of things into a suitcase. It's about being choosy with what you take and knowing what is necessary vs. what is not. If you absolutely can't decide what you want to wear, a few extra pieces won't be the end of the world -- just don't take your whole closet!

But none of this will help when I go to pack for college, since I move in in 19 days! (!!!)

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson

Top 5 Restaurants to Try in Sea Island Island

Hi everyone!

As y'all know, I just returned from my family's annual trip to Sea Island. One of my favorite things about the trip is the food -- I just love food to begin with, and there's nothing better than fresh seafood! My dad is a creature of habit, so we always go to the same few restaurants, but his favorite restaurants always serve great food, so nobody minds! When we go to Sea Island, we always eat at:

We adore Halyards! I always get the Shrimp and Grits -- second best in Georgia only to my Mamma's!

We love Crabdaddy's so much, we actually went twice this year!

Our first night on the island, we always order in from Frederica House. They even send hushpuppies with everything -- an item I look forward to every year!

I LOVE Bennie's! The waiters are always so nice -- the menu is entirely oral, so they stand there and list off everything that's available that night. This is also the only place in the world I'll eat conch fritters since they aren't chewy like other places!

Finally, I always have my best meal at the Georgia Sea Grill in the Village. I highly recommend the fried shrimp -- they come in a thick cornbread batter with homemade potato chips...so amazing!

I loooove Southern food, and I can always find delicious fried sea food, shrimp and grits, and hushpuppies on Sea Island!

Have a lovely day!
XO,
Carson