Disney World | for kids at heart

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This week marks my last week in the Emergency Department and the last week of my summer quarter. In celebration of being halfway through rotations, my mom, sisters and I are taking a trip south to Orlando. We've been dying to go back since we had such a fun time last year, and in 10 days we'll happily be on our way! Yes, I know I'm not a child, but I don't care. Disney World is one of my favorite places and I don't care how silly it sounds. We will also be spending a day at both Harry Potter parks. I can't begin to explain my excitement to explore the new Diagon Alley!

I've put together a some tips we've learned as a "big kid" in the Happiest Place on Earth:

grown ups disney world trip, disney packing tips, magic kingdom packing tips


Planning and Park Tips:
1. Undercover Tourist crowd calendar to research the best day to go is a must. I highly recommend checking them out if you're planning your vacation. They also offer great ticket options for all the parks in Orlando. In past years we have purchased them at the gate, but this year we purchased early and are skipping the lines.
{Lucky for us, September happens to be a pretty great time to visit the parks. We've previously been in November which was probably our favorite time as the park was decorated for Christmas, but the Halloween decorations will be out in September and the weather isn't too bad.}

2. Skip the ferry boat and take the monorail for a quicker trip to start the magic! We've made this mistake a few times.

3. You can get early access to the park by making reservations for breakfast at Crystal Palace or Cinderella's Royal Table. Book early. By early, I mean as soon as you have your hotel. I've been looking for 3 months and they're all full.

4. Our usual plan of attack is a beeline for Space Mountain. If you get there early (9-10) you can typically ride once or twice before the crowds get too busy. You can then pop over to the fantasyland attractions and avoid the crowds of little people.

5. When it comes time for nibbles or drinks, Tortuga Tavern and Be Our Guest restaurant have drink refill stations for free refills.

6. If your feet get a little tired from all the walking, the railroad is a great place to see parts of the park and rest for a bit. There's hardly ever a line, and you can sit as long as you want. It will also save your skin from the sunlight for a while.

7. If you're staying at a Disney hotel or resort, anything you purchase in the parks can be sent to your rooms.

8 a. We haven't yet stayed at Disney. Last year we decided at the last minute {Thursday night and left Friday} and booked our rooms with Priceline name your price. We did this again this year as we had a great room and paid very little for it {We stayed 2 miles from Downtown Disney for $40 a night}. If you have children and plan on spending several days in Disney, go ahead and stay at one of their resorts. We have always spent the entire day in the parks, so we prefer to spend our money in the park instead of on the room.

Packing Tips:
1. Snacks and water are allowed in the park, and there are several water fountains throughout the park for refills. Just make sure to tell the folks at the gate that you have them.

2. If you're more comfortable in dresses no worries! All the rides at Magic Kingdom are closed bottom, so worries for a wardrobe malfunction. Plus dresses are nice and breezy in the warm Florida weather.

3. Pack a poncho. It's bound to rain at some point. Pick a few up from the dollar store and save a bundle. While you're at it, pack a few ziploc bags. Put your phone and camera in them when you take a ride on splash mountain. I hear they have free lockers, but we haven't used them.

4. Bring an easy to carry bag. My sister prefers her sling backpack. It's spacious for ample snacks, ponchos, sunscreen, and cameras and is easily thrown over the shoulder. I prefer totes or clutches. Whatever you do, don't plan on bringing a bag that's heavy when it's empty. It will only make your shoulder hurt once it's full of your necessities. Less is more {unless you have a non-rider in your group}!

5. Don't forget your phone charger. You're going to be snapping pics all day, and if you're in the park from rope drop til the firework show, odds are your battery won't make it.

Just a tad of Plaid

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What better way to transition between seasons than taking pieces from each one and melding them together? I have every intention of getting as much wear as possible from these fabulous skinnies, and I just couldn't let this pretty plaid sit in the closet any longer!

white skinnies for fall

white skinnies for fall

white skinnies for fall

white skinnies for fall

white skinnies for fall


Product Review | Benefit Push Up Liner

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I was very excited to hear that Benefit was creating a new liner earlier this year. I have used the same CoverGirl Liner since I can remember, but it just doesn't last long enough for me. I read several reviews about the Push Up Liner and decided I needed to take stab at it.

Many of the reviews out there say that it's clumpy, and hard to use. The lovely sales associate at Sephora gave me a quick demo on how to prevent those problems. I'm very glad she did because I absolutely love this liner.

One very important thing she told me is to use it like a pen/pencil, not a brush. I think that's where many beauty buffs out there are going wrong. I have never been keen on brush on liners, so it was rather easy for me transition.

When you first open it, it needs to be turned about 8-10 full clicks before the liner is at the tip and ready to go. 2-3 clicks is perfect for each stroke on each eye. If you want a bold line, click it - apply it - click it - apply it until you have the desired thickness.

I learned the hard way not to click it too many times, otherwise you'll end up with a waste of product and several clumps.

My favorite feature of this liner is its builability. It's fantastic for very thin lines that give you natural looking definition. It can also be easily broadened for a bold eye that will look fabulous for a night on the town. Here is how I wear it on a daily basis.
au natural
One thin line without mascara or eyeshadow
+ mascara and Naked 2 palette


Ta da!
It also stays much better than the other liners I have tried. One thing I've read is it's too hard to remove. Again, I have to disagree. I always use coconut oil to remove my makeup as most makeup remover cloths are extremely harsh on my sensitive skin. Just rub a pea size amount of coconut oil on each eye, let it sit for a minute and wipe off with a Kleenex! It's also a great way to remove They're Real mascara (but it may take a little longer).


Trending Tuesday | Camel + PSL

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I'm a huge fan of neutrals. It's practically an addiction, and this ASOS pocket sweater is no exception. It's soft, comfortable, and fabulously chic. Thanks to our unusually cool weather yesterday, I paired it with my absolute favorite fall treat, that's right the pumpkin spice latte. I don't care if it's not officially fall, it is in my book!
#psl #firstpsl

#psl

#psl

#psl #ootd

#psl

#psl



Yeti Cool

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 Down in the south, a Yeti cooler can be found on almost any boat or dock party. In case you haven't heard, they're pretty much the best coolers around. They're are built as one-piece, seamless ice chests making them more durable. They also contain up to three inches of insulation and truly keep ice cold for days. But that's relatively old news, and I want to share with you something newer and even more impressive.

They now have their Rambler Tumblers, stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation that keep your iced drinks cold or your hot drinks hot for a remarkably longer time than any other tumbler. Being a bit skeptical at first, I left my iced water in my car (in the sun in the middle of summer) at 7:45AM only to return at 3:15 and still have a few pieces of ice floating. I never thought I would ditch my Tervis, but since then it has come everywhere with me.

The only downside (if you want to call it that) is that they aren't dishwasher safe, but I can tell you that I haven't really ever had time to wash it in there anyways. I use it so often, I hand wash it so it's clean and ready to use faster.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "But my Tervis is so pretty, with my monogram or favorite decal," etc. Well I've thought of that too. What could be better than a personalized Lilly Pulitzer print monogram to show everyone that the shiny new Rambler belongs to you?! Nothing, nothing is better than that.

#summerinlilly

#summerinlilly

Rambler Tumbler | Lilly Pulitzer Monogram (others I purchased here & here)

Only 2 more days to enter the Back to School giveaway! Don't miss out!




Gingham Style

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I posted a pic of this on instagram last week and just had to share the full outfit. I scored this gingham shirt a few weeks back during Gap's big summer sale. I'm ecstatic it fit well as I see myself wearing it quite a bit this fall. I also got my hands on a coveted gold hair cuff. It's the perfect way to spice up a boring pony, especially when you have to wear your hair up every day in the hospital.






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Don't forget to enter our Back to School giveaway! Someone will be receiving a lovely new Tory Burch, it might as well be you!

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Trending Tuesday | Romper + Giveaway

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I happened upon the perfect transition romper this weekend and had to scoop it up. I wandered into Urban Outfitters looking for hair accessories but left with this lovely piece. I just couldn't resist. It is ridiculously comfortable and the perfect thing to throw on after work and head out to meet friends! 




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Exact Romper (on sale!)

In honor of Back to School I've joined up with these fabulous ladies to offer you something pretty sweet! Take a look!

Bright & White

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I love white, especially in the summer. It's so fresh and vibrant especially paired with a mermaid tank. I've been trying to get as much summer ensembles in as possible as we all know I'm eagerly waiting for cooler weather and darker hues. Until then, I'll bounce around in summer brights!






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Oh yeah, did I mention I chopped my hair off? It may not seem like much, but I believe my stylist cut about 5 or 6 inches. I love my long hair, but I've been trying to grow out some bad layers for over a year and finally decided to snip them off! It has taken some time to get used to it, but I'm so happy with it. My hair feels so much healthier now!
after party sale

The dress above is Lilly Pulitzer, and speaking of don't forget the After Party Sale starts today!

 photo CaitlinSIG_zps0fd69cd7.png

Be Radiant

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant. All opinions are 100% mine.

The lovely folks over at Arm & Hammer sent me some great products to try; they’re Truly Radiant collection. I am always on the lookout for a whitening toothpaste as I’m a heavy coffee drinker. It’s a daily struggle keeping my pearly whites white! I’ve been using their products for about a month now and have noticed a significant difference in pictures. I was a little reserved at first as I have very sensitive teeth, and I was hoping that these products wouldn’t exacerbate the problem. I’m happy to share that I have absolutely no complaints!



Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant toothpaste: I loved the fresh minty taste this product offered. Many times baking soda toothpastes can taste a little bitter or salty, but their formula for the Truly Radiant is just right! It is the only paste that contains baking soda, peroxide and calcium which help strengthen and whiten at the same time. It removes so many built up stains compared to the other whitening toothpastes I have used. It also has your healthy dose of fluoride just in case you're on well water at home!

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Spinbrush: I typically stay away from electronic brushes because I have a small mouth and often feel like the bigger heads on these brushes don't fit well. This one definitely made me feel as though my teeth were getting a better clean as it's proven to remove 100% more plaque than my manual brush. They'll definitely continue to use this brush often but probably not every night.

Arm & Hammer Truly Radiant Whitening Booster: I absolutely loved this product! It's just the right touch to add to your routine before a big event to get an extra bit of whitening power. It's clinically proven to whiten teeth in just one week. I've currently been using it every other day as I have no big events upcoming but still my teeth to stay white!

 photo 8459fa08-2d0c-4267-9059-1023f2c23b39_zps7c4cddb2.jpg

In honor of the line's name of Truly Radiant, here are a few tips to bring out your inner radiance every day.
- Start your day with a great outfit worn with confidence. Confidence is something that every girl needs, and of course it makes it easy when you feel comfortable in what you wear. Every day doesn't have to be a runway look to be radiant, casual confidence is always in style.
- Find something you love to do. When you enjoy your work, it shines from the inside. Not every day will end up the way you want, but if you have a passion for what you do people will appreciate it.
- Know who has your heart and spend as much time as possible with them. Whether it's family, friends, spouse, or pets time spent with loved ones puts a smile on your face and helps you face another day radiantly!



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These Boots...

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These Boots by Eric Church came on my iPod the other day and it got my mind dreaming about Fall weather right now. What better way to welcome the new season than with a new pair of boots! These Corso Como are my favorites from last year. I practically lived in these babies. This year I've got my eye on the Frye, but I'm having a hard time choosing between the booties or the tall boots. They're both fantastic and would be perfect for cooler evenings around a fire with a hot mug of cocoa.




Trending Tuesday | Boyfriend Jeans

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Maybe it's just me, but Boyfriend jeans are everywhere right now. I haven't been much of a fan until I found these winners from Gap. I wanted them a little more distressed, so I took a fine cheese grater and roughed them up a bit. 

Boyfriend jeans and silk tee

Boyfriend jeans and silk tee

Boyfriend jeans and silk tee

Boyfriend jeans and silk tee

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Whirlwind Weekend

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Just as I was about to settle down on Friday evening, the hubs realized he mixed up wedding dates for a friend of ours. We were planning on heading to the Emerald Coast this coming Friday, but it just so happens we were supposed to be there there last Friday. Ooops. Seeing as it's a 8 hour drive, we turned to his dad to see if he could fly us down there. He really is a saint. We headed up and out early Saturday morning. We even had a few hours to spare, so we explored a little bit of Destin and Santa Rosa.

We headed to the closest seafood restaurant for lunch. It was delicious, especially the lobster bites and they went so well with a tall bloody mary.




Santa Rosa Beach is probably one of the most beautiful beaches in the US. I'm very upset we got the dates wrong and didn't get to spend the whole weekend there.

summer in lilly maxi #summerinlilly



The cafe the reception was held at was perfectly cozy, but it was really hot. I guess that's what you get in the middle of the summer in Florida.

Similar Maxis
We had planned on flying back Saturday evening, but a cluster of thunderstorms just wouldn't let us leave. It's a good thing they didn't seeing as we went to eat at Ruth's Chris. It may sound strange to order chicken at a steak house, but it was the best chicken I've ever eaten. Even the boys agreed, it was just as good, if not better, than their steaks. The fact that it was all brought out on a 500º plate so your food stays warm as you eat it made it that much better. See the sizzle?!


We had some heavenly chocolate desserts to end the night on a fantastic note: Molten cake + Chocolate creme brûlée. I will be dreaming of this meal for weeks! 



We flew out early Sunday morning so we could get back in time for the hubs to watch the PGA championship and cheer for Rickie in the PGA Championship.