Southern Summer Staples: The Porch

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Hey y'all,

I think one thing that is a Southern Staple, is to spend some time on the porch. Whether enjoying a nice conversation, sipping some tea, or reading a good book, I think the porch is one place everyone in south agrees upon is a gathering place during nice weather is the porch.

Now current temperatures are over 100, the porch is only available for evening time with the fans going or I would melt in the heat. While I love our porch at home, I do love looking at Pinterest for some beautiful porch inspirations. Wherever I end up later in life, a porch filled with rockers, fans, and a couch are required. I will of course teach my children the beauty of slowing down and enjoying the small joys of listening to the neighborhood's quietness or having a chat over some sweet tea.

Here are some of my favorite porch pins.

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Do you love your front porch? What do you do on your porch? What is your Southern Summer Staple?

ps. I completely believe that Air Conditioning is a Southern Summer Staple, but couldn't think of anything cute about A/C that would make it it's own post. :)

Peace and Blessings,
jDl

Everything in it's place...Bookshelf

Hey y'all,

As promised here are a few pictures of my reorganized bookshelves. This week I was finally able to move my small bookshelf from my college apartment to my room at my parent's house. My entire family is filled with readers and everyone has at least one bookshelf in their room but my bookshelf had gotten crowded with books from my English classes along with my teen/childhood books. The addition of more bookshelf space was the perfect decision and a great way to spend an afternoon on my day off this week. As a book lover I figured I would share this little corner of my room.

Before

 AFTER....

 Much more organized.

The Whole Bookshelf.

Top 2 Shelves: Chick Lit.

Shelf 3: Paranormal Romance/Series
Shelf 4: Romance Novels and Behind Those Other Random Series/Trilogies

Bottom Shelf: Year Books, Random Teen Series/Teen Novels, etc.
I had to take the cookbooks off the shelf but that's ok since they belong with my kitchen items anyway.

THE OTHER SHELF aka. Classics/English Class/"Smart" Books

Organized by Publisher, then alphabetical by Author. Also, the lamb is Phi Beta Chi's symbol so that is why some of my  lambs are by my letters.

The Bottom Shelf=Anthology, Shakespeare and all of my Jane Austen books and spin-offs.

Now that you have peeked into a corner of my room I am off to enjoy the rest of the day poolside since according to Weather.com it is 105 with a heat index of 110!!!!!

Stay cool and let me know what you are reading!

Peace and Blessings,
jDl

WILW: {June 27}

Hey y'all,

Here are some of my weekly loves...

...watching the Olympic US. Trials. So far I watched the men's synchronized diving and tonight is the swim trials! I can't wait for the Olympics to get started this summer. While I watch both summer and winter Olympics, the summer has more events that interest me: swimming, diving, gymnastics, etc. What's your favorite sport to watch?

...working on my fitness with great videos including my newest find of Pilates videos. I did the first one of Blogilate's POP Pilates videos. A combination of pop music and pilates=perfect for motivating me.

The video I did last night.

...all of my lovely followers. I have gained so many followers this week and I am blown away! I love seeing someone else wants to hear about my adventures in life and THANK YOU ALL!

...This print on sale at Kirklands. For under $5 I am very tempted to grab this for a future apartment since it is such a great reminder.

Find It Here

...the weather. Although, it will be at least 100 by Friday in NC I have loved the past few days off and enjoying the decent weather in the 80s without humidity. 


...getting my room organized. My parent's finally gave up and said I could place things in the living room from college since we never go in there. That means finally storing unwanted things down there so I could clean and organize my room. So far: bookshelves, desk and closet done!


...these pins from Pinterest

For the adorable little ones.

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A Dash Of Disney

Some running motivation.

What are some things you are loving right now?

Peace and Blessings,
jDl

Top 5 Tuesday: Celebrity Crushes aka Hottie Edition

Hey y'all,

I am so excited that Rachel brought back Top 5 Tuesday that I am delaying the post I scheduled for today to share with you some very hot men known as my Celebrity Crushes. I hope that you link up and share who you are crushing on since I think it is so fun to see everyone's answers.

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

Ryan Gosling

I had to throw in the shirtless photo from Crazy, Stupid, Love

Ryan Reynolds

Funny, Charming, Adorable...

and look at those abs.

Hugh Grant

I know that he is now old but I love Hugh Grant.
Since I'm not a George Clooney fan Hugh is my older guy crush.

Christopher Pine

Oh, Hello.

Alexander Skarsgard

Who Doesn't Love Eric the Vampire

Honorable Mentions(since 5 wasn't enough):

Ed Westwick

Gerard Butler

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Alex Pettyfer

Henry Cavill (The Tudors anyone....)

Paul Wesley

Ian Somerhalder

Matthew Lewis

There are so many more but I guess I will just leave y'all there.

Peace and Blessings,
jDl

One Lovely Blog Award

Hey y'all,

I was so surprised this weekend to hear that Nina of The Proper Lady bestowed upon me the lovely blog award "One Lovely Blog." I love the advice on Nina's blog about everything from sports to sisterhood to pursuing guys all while maintaining the class and manners of a lady. As a girl that loved Jordan Christy's book How to Be a Hepburn in a Hilton World: The Art of Living with Style, Class and Grace, Nina's blog continues on a daily dose of modern etiquette for the current proper lady. As the second blog award since I started this little blog a mere two months ago I was surprised and honored with the title. THANK YOU NINA!

As always with a blog award there are a few rules of acceptance:

• Thank the person who nominated you and link the blog back to them in your post.
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire
• Contact those chosen bloggers to let them know of their honor.

Let's get started:

7 Things About Jessica (or jDl)
1. I have never broken, sprained, or fractured a bone in my body!

2. I hate coffee. I only drink hot chocolate or tea when I go to a coffee shop. I did survive college without coffee and relied on soda instead. Now I am trying to break that habit and only drink water, tea, or juice.

3.I got my first cavity at 16 and was upset! I still haven't gotten one since.

4. I'm allergic to benzoyl peroxide (the powerful chemical in acne fighting). I break out in hives so no Proactiv for me.

5. My favorite food is beef stroganoff and not the kind from Hamburger Helper but the one my Momma makes. It is sooooo good!

6.I love to go grocery shopping. It's strange I know but I love going with a list, looking at all the products and planning on cooking/baking yummy food. It is great. Not a chore for me.

7. I have a mild obsession with scarves. I have at least 10 ranging from light summer ones to heavy ones for the winter. I have solid and patterned pashminas and they are nicely folded in a basket in my room.

Some Blogs I currently Fancy (in no particular order):

• Jenna of Leggings Love
• Ali of Monogrammed Scrubs and Stings of Pearls
• Sarah of shorelines and sunshine
• sSe of Seersuckered Sailor
• Emily of The Good Life
• Miss Southern Prep
• Caitlin C. of Southern Curls & Pearls
• Ashley of Loving Life and Lilly
• Christine of A Midwest Collegiate
• Turtles and Pearls
• The Pink And Green Prep
• Prep In Your Step
• just peachy
• Forever in Pearls
• Kentucky Belle
• Simply Sarah
• Seersucker & Sweet Tea
• The Carolina Prep (she is just getting started but I love a fellow North Carolinian!)

There are so many blogs I follow and I even have a daily reads tab on the top of my blog if you are searching for some more daily reads!

Peace and Blessings,

jDl