Life Lately - September

Well. Today is the final day of September and I kid you not - I feel like the month just started! Talk about blinking and missing something...right? Onward we go toward the final three months of the year!

Eating - Another month... another picture filled with fantastic eats! We started the month in DC and I was able to introduce Ryan to Ice Cream Jubilee - I had to try the coffee and donuts flavor and it was spectacular! We had See You Tater at the ballpark and I was so glad I got some tots before the season ends. I always love to get food from See You Tater but the lines are usually backed up - thank goodness they weren't the day we were at the game!

The main thing we ate this month was the awesome menu for our wedding - we went to a tasting at Classic Catering and everything we ate was to die for! Tomato Bisque Shooters with Grilled Cheese, Macaroni & Cheese in Martini glasses, a gorgeous Crudité display with divine dressing, tons of delicious miniature sandwiches, Chicken & Waffles, Shrimp, Stuffed Mushrooms, a beautiful Charcuterie board... *sigh* I can't wait for my wedding to eat it all again! And in case I haven't mentioned - my fiancé can cook and made us the best Jambalaya with Chicken - YUM. It was so good I told him I'd marry him all over again!

Watching - Would you believe that I haven't really been watching much of anything? It's true though! I definitely haven't been watching anything on TV because my evenings are spent trying to get in exercise, walking around the neighborhood with Ryan, planning for the work day and relaxing. We did go see Shang Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings at the Alamo and it was SO GOOD. Absolutely the most enjoyable movie and such a great addition to the Marvel line-up!

Wearing - I'm going a little rogue on this one... not a shock, right? First and foremost, I was looking a little like a psych ward escapee earlier in the month after my dog's leash gave my wrist a pretty fierce rope burn. When they tell you not to get those retractable leashes wrapped around you - they aren't kidding! I'm also wearing super jacked up glasses - as one of the arms (frames?!?) fell straight off last week! I know what I'll be getting when my vision insurance kicks in come November 1...

I've also been wearing a ton of Noonday jewelry - I love the stuff (check out the bought section) and I especially love the bright blue Lupine earrings that I'm wearing in the picture, they always get compliments! And lastly... while I never turn down the opportunity to show off my engagement ring, the picture is actually meant to showcase my nails! I'm a huge fan of Color Street but this month I tried Olive & June and so far, so good! I'm wearing the color Chemistry on my nails and it's lasted four days without chips so far... *fingers crossed*

Bought - I bought a dress for my engagement pictures coming up in October! It's from the online boutique Baltic Born and is a deep burnt orange color with an Autumn floral pattern on in, a cinched in waist and long flowing skirts. It's absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to see how it turns out in the pictures! Now I've just got to get my fiancé dressed for the shoot and we should be good to go!

I also bought fabric swatches from two different dress companies to begin looking over and choosing bridesmaids dresses... can't wait for them to arrive.

Want - I want the cooler weather to stick around a bit. It's as simple as that really. And I know six months from now I'll be saying I'm tired of the cold... and I will be... but right now I want these crisp Autumn mornings and cool Autumn evenings to linger for a little while.

Reading - I'm currently reading the book Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, which has a thriller-esque vibe to it and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! This month I also finished up Not A Happy Family by Shari Lapena, Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey and 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard - so I got in plenty of reading this month! Granted - I still have plenty of books on the shelf to read, but that's always the case! 

*****************************************************

That's all for the month of September - I'll see you all on the other side... or October, I suppose!

Watson Wednesday

 

When you're just trying your best to bulk up and stay fit - so you want to drink every last drop of protein shake possible. 

Perfectly Posh

 

Today I wanted to share a little about Perfectly Posh - a company that I am a consultant with - and the many reasons why I've chosen to be a Perfectly Posh consultant. Let me start by sharing a little about the mission of Perfectly Posh!

You are always giving time to others - time to your family, your friends, your job - and if there is any time left you end up giving of yourself to other things. Where do you find time for yourself? Everyone deserves to be able to take some time for themselves - to be pampered and taken care of the way you take care of everyone around you! Perfectly Posh isn't just about really great, naturally based products but also about THE PEOPLE who love the products. Perfectly Posh believes in taking time for yourself and indulging in a little pampering - because you deserve it!

Perfectly Posh isn't a pharmacy, they don't help clean the house, they don't help with the laundry and the products won't change you. What Posh is about is pampering yourself to make you feel like the best, most amazing version of yourself! An important aspect of Posh products is that they are all naturally based - which means you'll recognize the ingredients in the products!

There are some important things to know about Perfectly Posh - so let's get started:

• My Perfectly Posh site is http://NatalieSummerlin.po.sh
• Be sure to create a customer account! Each order you place will earn Perks and that could mean FREE products for you! This also allows me to keep in touch with you!
• Each product ordered gives you Perks that will accumulate over time and can be used to buy products at a reduced price... or even for FREE!
• All of Perfectly Posh's regularly priced products qualify for Buy 5, Get 1 FREE! Just look for the B5G1 symbol on each product page to make sure if qualifies! Add 6 qualifying items to your cart, enter the code B5G1 into the coupon code and get your free product!

The planet provides so many natural, pampering ingredients that can be used to nourish our skin. Perfectly Posh uses them all in abundance: butters, essential oils, fruits, nuts. flowers and more. Posh blends them into luxurious bases with unique stories and benefits for your skin and body. You won't find fillers in Perfectly Posh products - so a little goes a long way!

The abundance of natural products that are used in Perfectly Posh products means that Perfectly Posh products are cruelty free! Perfectly Posh is Leaping Bunny Certified, which means they go above and beyond the "greenwashing" of other companies. Eight national animal protection groups have banded together to form the Consumer Information on Cosmetics and work with conscientious companies to make shopping cruelty free, animal friendly and provide a more trustworthy shopping experience.

Obtaining a Leaping Bunny certification is a rigorous process - products must comply with strict standards to receive the certification and have a Leaping Bunny on their products. 

Leaping Bunny Certified Companies Must:

• Adhere to a fixed cut-off date, an unalterable date after which neither the brand nor any of its suppliers and/or manufacturers may conduct, commission or be party to animal tests. 
• Set up supplier monitoring systems to ensure all their suppliers and manufacturers comply with Leaping Bunny criteria.
• Be open to independent audits to ensure their supplier monitoring system adheres to the Leaping Bunny standard.
• Renew their commitment to the Leaping Bunny program annually.

Those are just some of the guidelines that Perfectly Posh must meet to maintain their cruelty-free stance, keeping them Leaping Bunny certified! 

Perfectly Posh also recently started a program called "Posh Cares" that gives back to those who go above and beyond in their community. Perfectly Posh appreciates and values all who work and sacrifice to make our country and communities a better place - including those in the Armed Forces, First Responders, Nurses and Educators. Posh Cares is a way to say "thank you" for all these people do. Signing up for Posh Care gets you a 10% discount on all orders! 

Who is eligible for Posh Cares:

• Current member of any branch of the armed forces. Reservists, members of the National Guard, veterans, or a direct descendant of the aforementioned. 
• First responders, such as Police Officers, Firefighters, EMTs or Emergency Dispatchers.
• Educators, Teacher Aides, Principals or Professors.
• Nurses 

You can register for Posh Cares on the Perfectly Posh website - just hover over the "About" tab on the homepage and select "Posh Cares" to get all the details! 

Found a product you can't live without? You can save time and money when you sign up for Posh Auto-ship - every auto-ship order that has five items or less will get 5% off (after your initial Auto-ship order). And - every auto-ship order that has six items or more will automatically receive Buy 5, Get 1 FREE! Once you've set up a Perfectly Posh account, you can also set up Auto-ship so you automatically receive your favorite Perfectly Posh products!

Perfectly Posh is celebrating TEN YEARS in business this year - Ten years of providing naturally made, cruelty free pampering products! I have enjoyed sharing a little (okay - a lot) about Perfectly Posh with you and if you have any questions - I'd love to answer them for you. 

If you'd like to check out the products: http://NatalieSummerlin.po.sh

Dream On!

As usual - I'm a little confused as to how Monday has already arrived but here we are and it's a Monday that comes after a wonderful weekend with friends, my fiancé and my church family! Happily I was able to get off work early and head home around four, which meant I had time to change clothes (it's always cold at the church y'all) and eat some delicious dinner before heading back out.

I'm sure everyone feels this way - but I feel like I hit the jackpot with my fiancé! He made the most delicious Jambalaya with Chicken for dinner on Friday night (the chicken was hands down some of the best I've had) so that I was all fed up before I headed off to church for Lavish Conference. I told him on Friday night that I'd already told him I'd marry him... but I'd definitely marry him! *laughs*

Lavish Conference is my church's annual women's conference and every year it is so wonderful There are guest speakers, incredible worship time and so much more. Friday night I snapped some pictures with precious friends I've made since moving to Virginia and love hearing the guest speaker, Jessica Amsler. I headed home around 9:30 feeling refreshed and inspired to live my God-given dream(s).

 

Saturday arrived bright and early - I caught the pretty glorious snapshot of the sunrise as I was taking Ryan to work for a few hours. After some coffee, I headed back to the church for the Saturday morning sessions of conference. Getting to goof off with friends who are like-minded and love the Lord like I do is such a blessing and the speakers on Saturday morning (Julia and our pastor's wife - a pastor in her own right - Kristen) were just as excellent as Friday night.

 

The conference ended around 12:00 and I headed home to have lunch with Ryan. Once we'd eaten our sandwiches and taken Watson on a walk, we climbed into the car and headed into the Shenandoah National Park - because it was a free entry day! Ryan and I intended to hike to Stony Man... but due to my navigational error, we ended up getting to see both Little Stony Man and Stony Man all in one afternoon. I mean - that's a win, right?

 

 

The views from both summits were pretty spectacular - although Stony Man itself has the edge on the grandeur - in my opinion. The hike(s) themselves were pretty good; I did feel a little winded from time to time but that's because I need to work on my fitness more... *sigh* We ended up doing just over four miles when the original hike was only supposed to be 1.5 - but hey, who's counting?

The only thing I can't stop thinking about is the fact that I assured people if they followed the trail we were on - they'd get to the summit of Stony Man - and that wasn't correct. Oops - I am so very sorry random tourists in the National Park.

After we finished our hikes we made our way to Skyland Lodge and had dinner at the restaurant at the top of the mountain (so to speak). The food is simple but always very good and we finished off our meal with a slice of Blackberry Ice Cream pie that Ryan was utterly astounded by... his face when he saw it coming to the table makes me laugh. We headed back down the mountain to the puppy dog and some football before calling it a day!

Sunday morning was church and then a quick stop at the store to get some groceries for the week ahead before Ryan grilled us steaks for lunch - and I don't normally eat steaks - but I ate this one! We did laundry and watched some of the NFL until around 2:30 and then we headed into the woods again, although this time a little closer to home. We walked a portion of the eight mile trail around the lake near the house - and we took Watson along for this hike. 

The weather was in the mid-70's with perfect blue skies and the hike was enjoyable - even when we stumbled onto a little species of "Nope Rope" that I could always do without! Ryan shoo'd the little snake on it's way and we continued on our hike, having some great conversation along the way. Once we finished the hike and arrived back at the house we finished up laundry and I made some Cowboy Stew for dinner.

I closed out my weekend giving myself a manicure with Olive & June - I've never used their manicure system before as I'm a die-hard fan of Color Street, but it turned out really well and is supposed to last 7-14 days without chipping. I can't wait to see how well it holds up! I can't believe that September ends this week and October will be here - I really can't believe there are only (almost) three months left in 2021. 

Five on Friday

Well - time continues to fly and suddenly the calendar is telling me that this is the last weekend in September! How in the world are we already down to just 98 days left in 2021? I have to say, I know for a lot of people this year hasn't been much better than the last - but that hasn't been the case for me. This final weekend of September promises to be full of goodness and I can't wait for it to start.

One. Lavish Conference - This weekend is my churches annual Women's Conference called Lavish. It's a quick 24 hours but is filled with so much goodness: an excellent time of worship, guest speakers and time spent in fellowship with other women of faith - it's such a great 24 hours and I look forward to it every Autumn! 

This year I have a little more active role in conference - although it's certainly nothing special - I'm just taking part in a short presentation before the first session tonight. Everyone is sharing a short couple words of a testimony on a slip of cardboard... sharing who they were before and after finding Jesus. I think it will be pretty impactful and I can't wait to see how the whole weekend goes!

Two. Dog Leash Attack - This is 100% not nearly as dramatic as it sounds and the bandage(s) are a little bit much, but here we are. My pup Watson has a retractable leash and I've read the warnings about getting them wrapped around your arms, legs, fingers, etc... but I experienced that on Tuesday night. I was trying to take Watson out while also carrying recycling and Watson took off at a run...

The leash wrapped around my wrist and pulled and I yelled because I could feel the burning against my wrist. Thankfully Watson stopped and I was able to untangle my arm and see the red marks lining my wrist... as I walked, the red lines turned into welts and then into sores. *sigh* Both my Mom and my fiancé hollered "Neosporin" and that + bandages have meant that it's healed really nicely. The bandages did make me look some sort of way though... 

Three. Early Birthday Present - My birthday is less than two weeks away (again - how did this year pass so quickly) but my parents left for a month long road trip around the country to celebrate their 39th anniversary, so they gave me my gift early! And y'all - what a gift! The most beautiful Samsonite luggage set in a gorgeous teal blue color!

There are three cases and they are all incredibly lightweight with hard sides, which I love! My parents joked that maybe if I could learn to pack a little bit lighter, Ryan might be able to use one of the suitcases for our future travels. Personally - I think Ryan can use the middle suitcase, I'll use the large and we can share the carry-on - I know how to pack just fine! *smiles*

Four. Perfectly Posh - I have decided to kick my Perfectly Posh business back into action once again and wanted to share, in case anyone reading this lovely little blog is interested in some wonderful pampering products! Perfectly Posh makes all things face, body, hair, hands and lips... and even makes some items for men - all of it geared toward healthy, happy pampering!

Perfectly Posh is cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny Certified! The products are all made from natural ingredients and some of the products are even vegan! Perfectly Posh offer 10% off to all military, first responders, healthcare works and educators through their Posh Cares program and best of all - all the products are made in the USA! If you'd like to check it out, be sure to head to my website at http://NatalieSummerlin.po.sh - and be sure to set up an account!

Five. Perfect Autumn Weather - The weekend looks absolutely beautiful and Saturday is free entrance to the National Parks, so Ryan and I plan to take full advantage of that! When Lavish Conference lets out at around noon, we are going to head into the Shenandoah National Park and hike the Stoneyman Trail - which is one of the highest peaks in the National Park!

We are also gonna have dinner at Shenandoah Lodge and hopefully be able to catch the sunset from high above the mountains! Sunday also looks beautiful and the temperatures are now hanging out in the mid-70's, so after church we will be sure to try and get outside some on Sunday too! 

******************************************

The last weekend of September and only 98 days to go until a new year - here's to making the best of this weekend and the other 98 days to come! 

Watson Wednesday

 

The sweetest little old man - bless him. Some days I am convinced that he's almost completely blind and I also wonder from time to time if he's going deaf as well. And then there are moments when he has this wild burst of energy and races around like a puppy! 

Blast from the Past - The Second Portion

Oh look - just what you've been waiting for - the second portion of all these crazy questions! Who knows what wonders and laughs await in the answers to all of these questions? I'll share again that I originally did these questions when I was almost thirty and I'll be thirty-seven (whoa y'all) in about two and a half weeks... so - should be fun!

• What is your favorite lunch meat? - Turkey! It's always turkey but y'all, I definitely take after my Dad in the fact that I love a good sandwich period!

• Any bad habits? - Where certain things are concerned, I can have the tendency to procrastinate. I'm also a bit of a people pleaser but I don't know if that's so much a habit as it is a personality trait....

• Are you a jealous person? - I can be, depending on the situation. 

• If you were another person, would you be friends with you? - I think so! Most of the time I think I'm a pretty fun person to be around and I think my friends would say that I'm a good friend to have - so sure!

• Do you agree with "friends with benefits"? - No, I don't. Because someone will inevitably get their feelings hurt and it's just not a good idea to begin with. No one actually benefits in the long run.

• Do looks matter? - Sure, they matter to an extent. I think having a kind heart and a good personality are very important but physical attraction is an important factor too! Do I think a kind heart and a good personality can make a person more attractive? I certainly do!

• How do you release anger? - I usually just end up crying a lot. All the hot rage tears.!

• Would you rather gain 58 pounds or lose 58 pounds? - Oh, definitely lost 58 pounds! I've already lost fifty and I'd not want to gain that back plus some... I'd definitely take the "L" on this one!

• What's your main goal in life? - To live my life in accordance with God's will for my life... so for right now that is to be the best fiancé I can be, the best daughter and sister and friend - but most importantly the best example of Christ that I can be.

• What was your favorite toy as a child? - I've always loved books... although I don't know if those classify as toys? I'll say again that what stands out most in my mind is a Disney Parks train set that I got for Christmas when I was four and I am almost positive I still have it somewhere because I absolutely loved it!

• How many numbers are in your cell phone? - Ooh man... easily over 100 and I think I probably use about ten of them on a regular basis. 

• Were you a fan of Barney as a child? - Definitely not! My little sister watched it all the time and I absolutely despised it. 

• Do you use sarcasm? - My Mom would tell you that I am fluent in sarcasm and speak it as a second language on a regular basis. *smiles*

• Mashed Potatoes or Macaroni & Cheese? - I cannot decide this because I love potatoes in every form possible but I could live on macaroni and cheese, so maybe I'll take a small portion of each? Please and thank you!

• What do you look for in a guy? - I look for a man who loves Jesus. A man who is kind and caring, supportive and makes me laugh. I look for a man who can be my best friend... although honestly, I don't look anymore because I've found all that and so much more in my fiancé, Ryan! So - my search is over!

• What are you nicknames? - Nat, Noodles, Spikenard... I don't guess I really have too many nicknames. I know when I was little my Mom called me Bug and Butter Bean sometimes but I haven't been called those names in a long while. Sometimes Ryan calls me Sweetie and Babe...

• Favorite super power? - I don't have any super powers! *chuckles* I've always thought it would be cool to apparate; that always caught my fancy when I was reading the Harry Potter series... because wouldn't that be a wonderful way to travel? You could be anywhere, any time you wanted.

• What's your favorite TV show? - I think it will always be Game of Thrones even though the ending fell pretty flat. *sigh* There was too much good that came before the bad ending and it doesn't completely kill it for me... so I'll say Game of Thrones. Outlander is a very very close second.

• What's the best way to deal with your enemies? - Kill them with kindness. *shrugs* I don't know that I have too many enemies but I try to pray for them... and usually have a salty little conversation with my Mom about them...

• What's your favorite ice cream flavor? - Long ago I would have said Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough but this Summer I discovered a flavor called Lemon Crunch that is sold at Sugar Creek Snowy & Sweet in Strasburg, VA - and that my friends, that is my very favorite ice cream flavor.

• Do you have all your fingers & toes? - Yes. All ten fingers and all ten toes. What a weird question.

• Do you have a computer in your room? - I have two laptops in my living room. *smiles*

• Plans for tonight? - It's a Tuesday... so I'll eat dinner before six and try to get some exercise in. Not sure what I'll do after that but it will likely involve spending time with my fiancé. 

• Where do you want to live?? - I'll be quite happy to live in Northern Virginia for the rest of my life and right now, that's where my life (with Ryan) is tracking. You never know what the future has in store, but I'll be quite happy to live wherever life takes us... as long as I've got Ryan by my side.

• What are you listening to? - I'm listening to a podcast called "Spooked" that is people who have had spooky encounters and tell about their encounters in their own words. Tis the season for creepy things, you know? 

• Last thing you drank? - Water!

• Last person you talked to on the phone? - My fiancé, Ryan! 

• The first thing you notice in the opposite sex? - Eyes & smile! 

• What do you like to do in your spare time? - I like to watch movies, explore nature and go on hikes, read books, spend time with family and friends... sometimes I even like to take a nap every now and again, ha-ha!

• Favorite thing to hate? - I don't enjoy hating anything, so I definitely don't have a favorite thing to hate. Gross.

• Favorite season? - Christmas! I'm not kidding. I know that I'm supposed to say Autumn, Winter, Spring or Summer... and the answer there would be Autumn. However Christmas is also definitely a season and it's my favorite!

• What's your favorite type of candy? - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups... honestly anything involving chocolate and peanut butter. Or chocolate and salted caramel. Guess what? I just really love chocolate! 

• Have you ever really & truly had a best friend? - I've really and truly had a couple best friends! My fiancé is my BEST friend... my little sister and my Mom are some of my best friends as well. 

• What is your hair color? - I'm a brunette!

• Eye color? - Hazel!

• Shoe size? - I wear between a nine and nine-and-a-half! Not exactly small feet, ha-ha!

• Favorite fast food place? - Oooh... this is a great question! And I think what jumps into my mind is Five Guys because they have some seriously delicious burgers and French fries! Yum!

• Favorite restaurant? - I don't know if I could ever answer this, mostly because I don't think of anything that just jumps out at me as a place I'd go all the time. I enjoy Red Robin, Olive Garden, Lonestar Steak House... I used to really enjoy Ruby Tuesday's but that isn't a thing anymore. *sigh*

• Do you like sushi? - I don't like sushi even a little bit. Gross.

• Watch TV today? - I didn't watch any TV today. I haven't watched a whole lot of TV in the last few months... I've been busy doing a bunch of other things, which is such a change from a few years ago when I watched multiple TV shows a night because I didn't have anything else going on.

• Favorite day of the year? - Christmas! It's always Christmas! Thanksgiving is a close second!

• Play any musical instruments? - I can sort of play the piano... I took lessons for a very long time when I was a child but didn't continue with them. I like to play by ear as well, which used to get me in trouble. *smiles*

• Republican or Democrat? - What if I'm neither? In a lot of things I lean more conservative but I'm honestly completely fed up with political parties and politicians as a whole. It's all a gross corrupt system and it makes me ill.

• Kisses or Hugs? - All the kisses and all the hugs! It depends on the mood but I'm almost always good with hugs from family and close friends... however I am not a casual hugger. And all the kisses from my fiancé, please and thank you!

• Relationship or One Night Stands? - Relationships. Don't even get me started on one night stands. To each their own but it's a hearty no thanks where that is concerned.

• What was the last thing you bought? - It's not that exciting but it was an anniversary card for my parents and a bottle of water. Thrills! 

• Would you ever be a housewife? - I would be a housewife gladly! Only time will tell but that is definitely something I would do once Ryan and I have children... if that is what I'm meant to do.

• What book are you reading? - I am currently reading 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard; it's a thriller about a murder that takes place during the quarantine lockdown of COVID. So far, it's pretty interesting! 

• Describe your love life? - My love life is a joy and a delight. I have a wonderful fiancé who loves me and makes me feel incredibly special and precious to him. I am so extremely happy and in love!

******************************************************

So - that's that! A little bit more information about me and some of these answers have definitely changed and it's fun to see those answers.