Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Some of the links below are affiliate links. Thank you for using these in support of Southern & Style at no additional cost to you!

Y'all-it's only 23 days until Valentine's Day!

We don't really do anything too big, and I'm sure it'll be even less of a "thing" this year since it's our first year with Charlie, but I always love just a little special, thoughtful gift to celebrate the day of love ❤

I've rounded up some ideas for you to forward over to your husband or boyfriend, or maybe even to gift to the galentine's in your life!

Faux Drusy Drop Earrings

These are under $20 and come in a few different colors, so if you're not a pink kinda gal then there is still something for you! But I do love the sweet pink shade, it would be perfect with a little black dress on V-Day date night.

Wet Brush Shine Enhancer Brush

This is a product under $10 that every gal needs in her life!

Wet brushes are lifesavers if you have thick, long hair like I do and this one has special bristles that supposedly distribute the oils in your hair to really play up the shine which is always a good idea.

High Gloss Hunter Boots

If you're one of my Alabama girls-you need to get these fun hot pink rain boots for Valentine's Day...especially since we've been having so much rainy weather here.

I think they would look great paired with these boot socks to wear while it's so cold outside too!

Quay Round Sunglasses

Quay is one of my favorite sunglass brands and I love, love, love these pretty pink shades!

They'll be great for going into Spring Break and summertime as well.

Mac Lipstick in Candy Yum-Yum

A pink lipstick is a must for Valentine's Day and this Mac formula is one of my favorites-these are well priced as well and would make the cutest little gift for each of your girlfriends.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

I use this exact lip sleeping mask every single night before bed and I credit it to helping my lips survive this winter because they have been so dry from the cold weather.

You just slather it on like a thick lip balm and go to sleep, it absorbs over night and it smells so good too!

Mark & Graham Turkish Herringbone Throw

If you want to splurge just a little bit on your Valentine, then this super soft throw (that can be personalized!) is a real winner.

It comes in eight different colors, but the pink gives such a sweet vibe that is perfect for the upcoming spring season.

Rose Quartz Facial Roller

I'm not sure about all the hype surrounding gems and stones right now, but I do believe in the power of massage and this facial roller would be awesome for de-puffing and reducing the look of dark under-eyes if you stashed it in the fridge before using. Plus, how pretty would it look on your bathroom counter?!

Stewardess Collection Airline Pouch

This toiletry bag is designed to streamline your travel process and make it easy-peasey!

So if you're a gal on the go, this gift is perfect for you...stash a few of your favorite travel friendly items in the bag and it's a whole gift in itself.

I would put this dry shampoo, a few of these (so cute!), and this overnight mask (such a great formula).

Tory Burch Hinged Bracelet

Still a splurge, but currently on sale and under $100-this is a special piece that would be a game changer in the accessory department and a bracelet that would be treasured for years to come.

Ugg Slippers

I don't own any Ugg slippers (yet!) but they are definitely on my personal wishlist.

These slip-on ones come in a few colors, but these pink are especially festive for Valentine's Day and they're currently marked down, too.

They have a firm sole so you can slip them out to run to the mailbox or take your puppy outside, which is a win for me!

Deborah Lippman "Love At First Sight"

Another gift that's perfect for the gals in your life is a polish in a pretty, feminine shade that screams Valentine's Day!

Treat the girls in your life to a mani-pedi and gift them this polish to use, it's a total package winner.

Corkcicle Insulated Stemless Champagne Flute

You've seen S'Well bottles, Yeti Cups, and Bubba brand coffee mugs...but have you seen the insulated champagne flute?!

These pretty pink flutes would be so cute as bridal party gifts, too!

I would pair with a mini bottle of your favorite champagne or rose' and call it a day.

Mark & Graham Hand Painted Canvas Zip Pouch

This is such a hero piece for your wardrobe!

I love that it's personalized and hand painted, but I love it even more because you can use it as a clutch, an extra bag to toss in a bigger tote, or as a toiletry bag when you're going on an overnight trip...multi-use is the way to go.

Sephora Pearl Face Mask

These Sephora face masks are some of my go-to sheet masks to pick up because they're super affordable but also really effective.

These are cheap enough you could hand them out to all of your favorite girls, or invite everyone over for a sheet mask bar, movie night!

I would recommend this movie or this movie for girls nights-or this one for a couple's date night in!

I hope this fun post inspired you to celebrate this little holiday that so many of us actually dread-it doesn't have to be about the love you have for your (non-existant) significant other, it can celebrate any kind of love-for your best friends, your sisters, your mama...heck, you can even treat yourself!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

Charlie: Four Months

Some of the links below are affiliate links. Thank you for using them to support Southern & Style at no additional cost to you!

Letterboard 

 Similar Longall / Charlie's Oxford Shirt Onesie

Sweet brother picture!

It's so hard to believe that four months have already passed with our sweet Charlie!
If you missed it, here's his three month update & what he received for Christmas.

Weight: 13 lbs 11 oz

Height: 25 1/2 inches

Clothes:

Moving out of straight 3 month clothes (his jammies are starting to all get a little tight in the toes!) and into 3-6 or 6 month things. He's such a long guy!

Sleep:
We've made some strides in the sleep area!
He's not sleeping through the night yet, he's actually still waking up to eat about every 2-3 hours throughout the night.
A few nights throughout the month, he had a really hard time going back down after waking up to eat...I'm talking two nights I was up almost three hours with him, it was tough.
But I figured out that he wanted to roll over and he wasn't able with his current sleeping arrangement-so we ditched the swaddle 100% and moved him back into his Halo Bassinest without the Dock-A-Tot this time and bam-he was happy.
Turns out, he's a tummy sleeper just like Chris & I and that's what makes him happy.
His naps have greatly improved as well since he's napping almost exclusively in his crib in his own room.
We're starting to look for a good video monitor so we can move him into his crib at night if y'all have any suggestions?

Schedule:
Since I stay at home with Charlie, we have a pretty good schedule down on regular days. Not every day is an all-day at home kind of day, but a lot of them are.
He wakes up for good between 6:30-7:30 and then I pull him into our bed to relax for a few minutes and snuggle. He usually drifts off back to sleep in the middle of our bed while I brush my teeth, etc.
If he's still asleep, I'll feed & let out Forrest and start my coffee and then I'll go back and get him up since he's usually awake by this time.
We eat and play, he can usually stay awake for an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours until he's ready for his next nap.
I tend to follow his cues for eating and we just nurse on demand since that's easiest for us, but he's going about two and a half to three hours between feedings now.
He usually naps around 9ish, then 12ish, then 2ish, and then his last nap of the day is somewhere between 4 and 5.
Bedtime is somewhere between 7 and 8, typically.

Health:

Our sweet Charlie has still been a healthy little guy-no new sickness to report!

Crying:

He's just the happiest baby, y'all.
He cries if he's overtired or over hungry, but other than that he's a happy champ.
He will fuss a little when he's frustrated with his rolling over or with a toy, but his hand-eye coordination is improving and he's able to really do what he wants more now!

Likes:

Being a big boy and sleeping on his tummy (even though it still freaks me out!)
Music!
Being outside-this Spring & Summer is going to be so fun
His Skip-Hop Activity Table

Dislikes:

Not being able to crawl or move independently-he gets so frustrated because he can't move on his own!

Milestones:
Rolling over-both ways, but he definitely prefers rolling from his back to his stomach
Sleeping in his crib for most naps (on his tummy)
Improved hand-eye coordination when playing with toys

Sticking his tongue out-his favorite!

Places You've Gone:
Bass Pro Shop to meet Santa for the first time
Prattville to pick up Mama's new vehicle
Spent the night with Nana, PawPaw, and Aunt Julie and another night with Gran & Papa while we went to New Orleans this past weekend!
Mama & Charlie's Favorites:
I decided not to do a big graphic for this month's faves because honestly, we're using a lot of the same things but I do have two or three things that have been good for us this month!
Even Super Heros Have to Sleep
This little book was a gift from my high school best friend's mom and y'all-it is SO cute.
For boys or girls, this is the perfect bedtime book.
Ameda Store-n-Pour Bags & Adapters
These adapters and bags are lifesavers when you're pumping while traveling.
The trip took us around 6 hours, so I had to pump in the car and it gets difficult trying to pour up bottles of milk into bags while going down the highway.
These bags & adapters hook up to my Medela pump and I don't have to pour up anything, I just label and toss them in the cooler!
No-Bake Energy/Lactation Cookie Balls
I found a recipe on Pinterest and wrote it down, but of course I can't find it now to link it, so I'll just share the recipe. These were SO yummy & perfect for snacking on while Chris & I were on our trip to New Orleans. I was trying to make sure my supply stayed up and I don't know if these had anything to do with it, but they were a tasty, relatively healthy treat that were easy to make and transport so I'll definitely be making them again ASAP.
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (but use crunchy if you like that!)
1/2 cup ground flaxseed (can be found at Wal-Mart!)
1 cup of shredded coconut
1/3 cup of honey (it's even better for you if you can find honey local to your area)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Just combine them all in a bowl, refrigerate for one hour, roll into balls of desired size and then either refrigerate or store in the freezer.

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

Ten on Tuesday [No.54]

Some of the links below are affiliate links. Thank you for using these to support Southern & Style at no additional cost to you!

ONE
One of the best parts to me about a new year is looking back on the old one.
If you follow me on social media, then this is probably going to sound a lot like a broken record, but honestly 2018 was the best year yet for Chris and I.
On January 1, 2018 we found out that we were expecting Baby Upchurch.
Then we announced to our friends & family, then his gender reveal, baby showers, maternity photos, and all the little adventures along the way were the best buildup to welcoming our sweet Charlie!
Then to top it all off, we were selected as the 2018 Alabama Outstanding Young Farm Family-which is something both Chris & I have dreamed of for many, many years (before we were even together!)

 And for my blog's instagram. . .

TWO

I don't know about y'all, but I love an exciting read!
This book, "A Fever, a Flight, and a Fight for the World" is actually geared toward the middle school crowd (which I used to teach and read to every single day!) but I found it enjoyable even at 25. As a teacher, I taught a reading class and we enjoyed the Giver series, the Call of the Wild, and other exciting, adventurous books and I think my students would have really, really loved this book as well.
It follows a doctor working in epidemic conditions in East Africa and what happens to him during that time period. I don't want to give too much away, but the doctor finds himself on a deserted island near death and his only companion to help him is another survivor of the epidemic.
The really blood-pumping part of the story is their adventure to return to Africa and their discoveries along the way-needless to say, it turns into a fight for not only their lives, but also for justice.
I think if you enjoy a good adventurous story and especially if you have children somewhere between around 9 to 13, this would be an awesome book to share with them (or to read for yourself, I won't tell!)
THREE

This is absolutely not sponsored content, I just found this out and had to share!
Did you know that you can get one free soft photo book from Shutterfly each month?
You do pay $7.99 for shipping, but I'm going to do my first one this month & I'll report back to let you know if it's as good of a deal as it sounds!
I've got tons of pictures of Charlie on my phone and I really need to print them off, I think having them in a book is a great way to have them out where they can be seen and their safe if something happens to my laptop/phone.
Plus, wouldn't that be an awesome gift idea?!

FOUR

I had four bananas that had honestly seen better days, just with all the holiday snacks and treats those poor bananas got overlooked and went uneaten...enter in banana nut bread!
I used this recipe and made two loaves, one for Chris & I and another for his parents and grandfather to split and I think it turned out really well.
I personally enjoy having a thick slice for breakfast with my coffee or tea-so yummy.

FIVE

I recently realized just how much I love & use Amazon-it's seriously the best since having a baby!

I decided to create an Amazon shop so I can share all of my favorite finds with y'all, I haven't added much yet but you can check out my ever-evolving list for things that I highly recommend!

SIX

Chris & I leave for New Orleans on Friday (!!!) to compete in the National Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Competition with the American Farm Bureau and so I had to get some new business casual/business appropriate attire since I really hadn't bought anything like that since I stopped teaching...
Y'all, I picked up these black flats from Dillard's and have been wearing them to get comfortable in them and they are so cute & so comfy-highly recommend! I've been wearing them with these jeans and these black Spanx leggings and they're a favorite.
They also come in a leopard print that I would love to have, too.

SEVEN

Have y'all ever done Walmart Grocery pickup?!
If not...what are you doing with your life?
Seriously though, one of the hardest things right now about this stage with Charlie is grocery shopping because he's still in his carseat so it's hard to fill up a buggy...but since grocery pickup is free, I just do my shopping online & my actual shopping trip to Walmart takes about 5 minutes now-a miracle, truly!
If you want to try it out you can sign up for your first trip using this link and save $10!
This isn't sponsored either (although if Walmart wants to pay me, hit me up! 😂) I used someone's sign up link and wanted to pay it forward for a service I love. . .now if only I could find someone to also bring my groceries in the house and put them away too...

EIGHT

I know Christmas has come & gone, but in the midst of all of the shopping for friends & family, I couldn't help but find a few things I wouldn't mind having for myself.

I fell in love with the Dakota Hide Tote & the Telluride Bag from Mark & Graham and may have to use some of my Christmas money to pick one of them up for myself!

NINE

This little turkey is going to be FOUR MONTHS OLD this week, can you believe it?!

Time is flying by, but this stage is honestly so, so fun.

He's really getting a precious little personality and is laughing and sticking his tongue out and rolling over and all the precious baby things that we love.

I just adore my little man & can't wait to see what he's going to do next.

TEN

The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is live & in it's last day today!

I bought this maxi, this simple dress, and this fun dress.

My wishlist of things that I absolutely don't need, but would if I had unlimited funds & closet space are this shift, this versatile piece, and this bathing suit.

If you shopped the sale, let me know what you picked up below!

Until next time. . .

xoxo, 

What Charlie Received for Christmas

Some of the links below are affiliate links. Thank you for using these in support of Southern & Style at no additional cost to you!

Happy 2019, y'all!

 Can you believe that we're in the last 'teen' year? It's just so crazy to me how quickly time flies-even more so I think when you have a little one join your family.

Today I want to share a few of the things that Charlie got for Christmas this year.

We didn't go all out with gifts, just a few small things and things that he'll be able to use in the coming months that we would've wanted to purchase anyway.

At the bottom I'll also be linking some clothes that he got too, because our sweet families helped out stocking his closet in the next size up.

Hopefully this post will be helpful if you're purchasing gifts for a little one that's around his age (3 months!)

Books:

We picked Charlie up a ton of books this year, the ones shown aren't even all the ones he got but they are a few of our favorites!

We're big Auburn people, so of course we gifted him "This Little Tiger" which is such a cute children's book for little fans. I think they also have them for other teams, too!

We love the messages behind the Good News for Little Hearts series because they're sweet to read to Charlie now (the illustrations in all three of these books are so, so pretty & eye-catching) but they will also teach him valuable, bible-based lessons as he gets older.

"Buster's Ears Trip Him Up" is an awesome reminder that it's okay to try your best, but not be the best. Sweet Buster (a cute rabbit) thinks he's really fast, but during a race his ears trip him up and he loses. Thankfully, in the story his sister gives him a little counsel and helps him remember that what's important is turning away from ourselves and focusing on others-something that we could all stand to remember!

"Jax's Tail Twitches" is a sweet story about a squirrel family that shows even when we get angry at each other, there is power in learning how to apologize and say that you're sorry. This is a wonderful example of conflict resolution and creating understanding that we aren't supposed to live in anger with each other as a family or as a community.

And the last of the Good News for Little Hearts series that we have for Charlie is "Zoe's Hiding Place". This book was so near to my heart! It's about Zoe, a little mouse, who is anxious about attending a field trip. I remember when I was young, I used to get so anxious about similar things-to the point where I would make myself sick and keep myself up at night just worrying! I hope Charlie never does that, but if he does, this book is an awesome lesson in that he can come to Jesus with all of his fears and that there will be comfort and ease of fear.

"God Counts" is the last book I'm going to talk about (because if I talk about every book he got, this post will take you ten years to read), but I'm so in love with this book. If you only pick up one book on this list, make this one it. The illustrations are stunning. It's a beautiful mix of learning about counting and learning about Jesus, which I love and I think Charlie will love to as he gets older. 

Skip Hop Explore & More Activity Center

When we were in the middle of taking Forrest to Auburn basically every week to go to the vet for a little while, we spent a lot of time wandering the aisles of the Opelika Target.

I found this Skip Hop toy for around 50% off as a return and picked it up knowing that Charlie would love it as he gets a little bit older and it was a great deal!

He's already used it a few times since Christmas and he really loves the piano keys that light up & play music and the little toy that has spinning beads, etc on it.

We also love that it will move to three separate stages-click on the link to see how it transforms because it's hard to explain 😂

Play Mat

I saw this on the Facebook page for a local discount store that I follow (they have a website that I linked if you're interested in ordering though!) and fell in love.

It's originally priced at $35, but I only paid $10 which was a steal.

It's so big (39'X52') and the colors are so bright and vibrant. It's going to be perfect now for learning to roll over and eventually sit up and crawl, but also in the future for driving little cars and tractors on. I think that it's so fun being that Auburn is one of Chris & I's favorite places on Earth and this mat shows so many of our favorite little places.

Stocking Stuffers

We didn't do too much for Charlie's stocking, but it is where I stashed some of his smaller gifts.

We got him a sweet Auburn swaddle blanket (that I can't find online!), this cute cactus teething mit (which I think will come in handy in the next few months!), and these fresh food feeders which I'm excited for him to use in the future as he begins teething!

Gifts from Others

This Bumbo baby seat with the tray was on Charlie's baby shower registry, but we didn't receive it so my oldest sister picked it up as his Christmas gift and I'm sure we're going to get a ton of use out of it! While our house is pretty decently sized, we don't have a good place to keep or store a high chair, so I'm hoping this can take the place of one of those at least for a little while longer.

My middle sister picked Charlie up this super sweet stuffed hippo and the book "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" and I LOVE them both-they're so sweet!

Clothes 

I couldn't possibly link every single clothing item Charlie got for Christmas because he got lots, but here are some favorites from us and from other family members. . .

These little jeans fit his long legs and skinny waist pretty well

We have this white oxford button up bodysuit in multiple sizes!

These precious khaki overalls make him look like a little man

Charlie had these moccasins in 0-3 month size, but we lost one while we were on our trip to Montgomery, so we sized up and bought them again...on sale!

Denim shirts are so cute, we can't wait for him to wear this one

Charlie is about to outgrow all of his 0-3 month pajamas, this pair from Target is so sweet & gender neutral, too!

This three-piece set is another sweet Target buy and we love the little onesie and vest especially.

I know he got a lot of things for Christmas, but these weren't all from Chris & I and thankfully most will carry him into the next few months!

We had such a blast on his first Christmas & can't wait to celebrate many, many more with our boy.

 Until next time. . .

xoxo,