Top 5 Tuesday: Guilty Pleasures!

I'm linking up with Rachel @ Just Peachy again for this week's Top 5 Tuesday: Guilty Pleasures!

These five things are my go-to items for days I just want to chill out and relax!

1. Nike Shorts: So cute, so comfy, so fun!

2. Ben & Jerry's Half Baked Ice Cream: There's just something about chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownie mixed together that I can't resist! My roommate makes fun of me because a lot of the time I eat it while I'm waiting for my real supper to cook.

3. Iced Mocha: I love a good iced coffee! It doesn't half to be from anywhere in particular, as long as it's tasty and has a lot of whip cream! Yum!

4. Coke: I love Coke! It keeps me sane!

5. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Swivel Stick: I don't know what I would do without this thing. I love it so much! If you haven't tried this chapstick, you have to! You will fall in love!

Have 5 guilty pleasures of you own? Take a minute & link-up!

A Georgia Weekend & Top 5 Tuesday!

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend in Kennesaw, Georgia, not too far from Atlanta. A group of 3 other students, myself and my teacher were there for the National Collegiate Sales Competition, that included more than 60 colleges from across the country!

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We competed by selling Netsuite, a brand of customer relationship management software to professional sales people in the industry. I acted as an alternate, so I didn't have to go through the stress of competing, but I did help train, attend a job fair and have a lot of great food along the way! Even though we didn't win, I got to know three other amazing Appalachian students and we had a great time!

Sam, Laura, Me, & Ben!

  

Also...

I'm linking up this week with Rachel at Just Peachy for my favorite link-up, Top 5 Tuesday!

This week's topic: Restaurants!

1. Village Tavern- This is my favorite restaurant where I'm from! I love the atmosphere of Village Tavern. You can dress up or down and still feel comfortable. My favorite dish is their hot crab dip! Amazing!

2. Our Daily Bread- This is my favorite restaurant in my college town! They have the most wonderful sandwiches and deserts. It's worth every penny! Jake and I love to eat lunch here when we have a break from school, but it transitions in to a great dinner spot too.

3. Sam's Pizza- This is the restaurant where I've worked since I was 16 years old and I could still eat there every day! Not only do I love the food, but the people there are my family:)

4. Which Wich- This has to be my favorite sub shop! I have to admit, I've never had Jersey Mike's and I've heard it's a close contender, but of all the sub places in Boone, Which Wich takes the cake!

5. Chick-Fil-A- My favorite fast food restaurant for sure! I love just about anything on their menu and those milkshakes are to-die for!

Do you have 5 favorite restaurants?

If so, stop by & link-up!

Top 5 Thursday? Vacations!

Happy March Everyone!
I didn't get my post finished in time for Top 5 Tuesday with Rachel, but I still wanted to share my favorite vacations with you, so here they are on Thursday!

My family has been going on one vacation a year for as long as I can remember! We've never been a group to take a Christmas trip or head out for spring break, we're just regular summer vacation kinda people! Our trips don't follow any sort of pattern, we like to keep it fun and try somewhere different every year.

Visiting the Clinton Presidential Library in Arkansas!

Traveling is one of my most favorite hobbies and I have been lucky enough to visit 19 different states, Mexico & several countries in Europe. There are so many other places that I want to go and in no particular order! My next trip that I talked about here will be to New Smyrna Beach, Florida in just 8 days! Bring on the sunshine!

Here are my top 5 favorite vacations that I've been on!
1. Cozumel, Mexico- When I graduated high school, I chose to forgo the drunken mess of senior week and fly to Cozumel, Mexico. Best decision I've ever made! We stayed at this amazing resort called the Cozumel Palace and were treated like royalty! I swam with dolphins, snorkeled in clear blue water and ate delicious food. I am so ready to go back!

2. Bahamas- I know I've mentioned this before, but my spring break cruise last year to Coco Cay and Nassau was so relaxing! I went with my friends Rachel, Stephanie and Blaire on the Royal Caribbean cruise line and we didn't have to worry about anything. My favorite stop, Señor Frogs!

 

3. Colorado- When I was in 10th grade, my parents took us to Denver, Colorado. We stayed at a beautiful hotel, visited National landmarks and saw beautiful animals. We also got to see a Colorado Rockies baseball game. My dad loves baseball, so it tends to be a big part of our family vacations.

4. Topsail Island, NC- Last year, I had the pleasure of going with Jake to his fraternity formal at Topsail Island. The beach was great, don't get me wrong, but the company on this trip was what made it so amazing! I had the best time meeting other guys in his fraternity, as well as their sweet dates. This is one of my favorite things that Jake and I have ever done.

5. Walt Disney World- I LOVE DISNEY WORLD! I'm not sure why I love it so much...maybe because you can act like a princess all the time, eat amazing food shaped like Mickey Mouse or stay at gorgeous hotels. I've been a few times, and my family is planning our next visit sometime this summer after graduation in May! Since this is a trip of celebration, I plan on going all out! Mickey waffles, Minnie Mouse ears, the works!

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What's your favorite vacation spot?

Top 5 Tuesday: Most-Worn Items!

Don't get me wrong, I love new, fancy schmancy items in my closet as much as the next Carrie Bradshaw or Reese Witherspoon wannabe, but every female, no matter the age or budget, has a few items that she can rely on for any occasion!

Which leads me to today's post...

I'm linking up with Rachel at Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday: 

Most-Worn Items!

This doesn't just mean clothes, we're talking handbags, shoes, scarves, the works!

Have 5 items that you find yourself wearing ALL THE TIME? 

Stop by and link-up!

My five items are simple, classic, and never go out of style!

Compliments of: Polyvore

1. Pearl Studs- A pair of pearl earrings can dress up any outfit! Looking for a cute, inexpensive pair? Try the Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet or a department store!

2. Dooney & Bourke Nylon 3-Zip Crossbody- Great for a quick shopping trip or a night out on the town! You can find these at Belk for just under $45!

3. Nike Tempo Running Shorts- I seriously wish I had these in every color, but for $32/pair, that leaves me buying one at a time! These are amazingly comfortable and are great for school, working out, whatever! I love sleeping in mine too!

4. Black Leggings- Best. Invention. Ever. Need I say more? Leggings from Forever21 are my favorite, but they don't last very long!

5. A Smile- No matter how you look or what you're wearing, a smile can make you feel amazing! A person's smile is the first thing, I notice! It shows personality and confidence!

Have a wonderful Tuesday & don't forget to SMILE!

A Facelift & Top 5 Tuesday!

Hi Everyone & Happy Tuesday!
If you're thinking that my page looks a little different than the last time you viewed it, you're right! The past couple of weeks I've been looking at all types of new blog designs and yesterday, I finally took the plunge. When I first started blogging, I new absolutely nothing about it, so I found a blog design that I liked and stuck with it. Now that I'm finally getting the hang of things, I decided that I needed something a little more personal, a little more Melody! I hope you love the new look around here:) I've still got some things in the works!
Grab my new button & tell me what you think!

Today, I'm linking up with Rachel over at Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday!

This Tuesday's topic: Recipes!

I'm going to be honest with you all and let you know that I DO NOT cook. There, I said it. It's not that I don't want to, just that I'm putting it off for a while. On another note, I do LOVE to eat. Even though I'm not whipping up these dishes myself, I thought I'd make this post a little unique and tell you my favorite dishes in each of the categories, as well as where to get them!

Favorite Appetizer

Lettuce Wraps from P.F Chang's

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I had this amazing dish for the first time this past summer and fell in love. I honestly crave these things. Have any of you had them? I know they have to be one of their most popular dishes. No sauce added and hold the water chestnuts...total perfection.

Favorite Side Dish

Loaded Baked Potato Soup from Chili's

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I'm not sure if this counts as a side dish, but I love a little cup of soup with my meal. I discovered this particular soup from Chili's in August of last year. I've also tried their Chicken Tortilla Soup and it was great. If you haven't tried this favorite of mine, you definitely need to! A small bowl cost just under $4 and you can mix it with a side salad and a drink for about $10.

Yummy!

Favorite Main Dish

Grilled Atlantic Salmon from Outback Steakhouse

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I love seafood and salmon is one of my favorites. I like the flavor and I think the price is very reasonable for what you get. I've tried salmon at a variety of different restaurants that aren't necessarily "seafood restaurants," and Outback takes the cake. 

Favorite Dessert

Assorted cheesecakes from Our Daily Bread

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If you ever have the pleasure of traveling to Boone, North Carolina, Our Daily Bread is a restaurant that you need to try, especially if you like an variety of homemade desserts, all served in large portions. When President Obama passed through Boone a few months ago, he even made time to stop at this cute little spot. I've been to this restaurant on multiple occasions and they have some of the best cheesecake I've ever had. Think strawberry, chocolate, Oreo. Ah-mazing!

Favorite Drink

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There is nothing that I love more than an ice-cold fountain Coke from McDonalds. This is my and Jake's guilty pleasure!

What are your Top 5 Tuesday Recipes/Dishes? What do you think of mine?

I have to admit, I'm hungry just thinking about them!

Celebrations & Top 5 Tuesday!

As long as I can remember, New Year's Eve has always caused a lot of stress with last minute plans and hunting for the perfect outfit. 2011 followed suit and had my Mom and I running around the mall the night before, still looking for something for me to wear! We finally decided on a long-sleeve tan sweater/dress from Forever21 to pair with my black fur vest that I already had.

The outfit looked a lot like this:

Boy, do plans change!

My friend, Lindsey graciously invited me to come and spend the night at her house in Charlotte with some of my other good friends from Boone. We had the most amazing time eating tons of food, dancing, and trying our best to stay up until midnight!

If you read my post about semi-formal, you may remember the black, 3/4 sleeve dress that I wore to our function. When I got to Lindsey's and saw the dressy outfits everyone was planning on wearing, I decided to throw that dress on instead. I'll be saving my fur vest for another day!

Everyone got dressed up (even the boys), despite the fact that we were staying at home for the night. It made it that much more fun! Lindsey's parents were so amazing and made a ton of food for the group! We had such a good time talking and eating all night.

This was only about half of the food we had!

The girls: Lindsey, Me, Gwyn, & Kristin

Gwyn modeling the piggies in a blanket. These were a huge hit!

 Lindsey cutting the massive cookie cake that Kristin brought.

 This cookie cake was the size of a large pizza & double layered, basically heaven!

I hope your New Year's was just as fun as mine!

& I can't forget...

I'm linking up with Rachel at Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday: 

Favorite Jewelry Pieces!

This was an easy one for me because I usually wear about the same jewelry every day!

1. Tortoise shell cuff bracelet: If you been reading my blog for long, you know that I am in love with tortoise shell! I found this bracelet at a boutique in Boone and I just couldn't resist.

2. Silver bow bracelet: I am obsessed with bows and when I found this cute cuff, I just had to grab it. I got it a few years ago at the Aerie store. I couldn't believe it!

3. All wrapped up pearls- drop earrings: These earrings that I got for my 21st birthday have become one of my favorites. They are from Kate Spade and go with anything, plus they stick with my bow theme.

4. My college class ring: I know that some people get a class ring and never wear it, but I am the complete opposite. I've had a class ring for middle/high school, and now college.

5. J.CREW Starfish earrings: I got these earrings last spring, to wear to a fraternity formal. I quickly realized they are perfect for anything. I can't wait for it to get warm so I can wear them again.

What are your top 5 favorite jewelry pieces?

Guest Blogging & Top 5 Tuesday: 2011

The topic of today's post is 2011, both here on my blog and at In the Life of Emily, where I'm guest posting! I'm so excited for my first guest post over at her fabulous blog! Stop by and see my 10 favorite memories from 2011!

In an effort to get back into regular blogging and out of all the craziness that comes with Christmas every year, I thought it was only suitable to link-up with Rachel at Just Peachy for Top 5 Tuesday!

2011:

1.) Movie: "Crazy Stupid Love"

I didn't see this movie until it came out on DVD, but I thought it was just too cute. There's nothing like a good romantic comedy, plus the people in it were amazing.

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2.) TV show: Say Yes to the Dress

I know this show didn't originally come out this year, but it is my all-time favorite show! I could watch episode after episode and be content.

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3.) Song: Nikki Minaj-Super Bass

This video is a little strange, but I think this song is super fun and catchy! I like music, but I usually just listen to what's on the radio or Pandora.

4.) Thing that happened: I was nominated to be on the Homecoming court at my college this year! You can read more about this on my guest post today!

5.) Christmas Present: As I mentioned in my Christmas wishlist post, I thought I was the only college-going female that didn't have riding boots, well since Christmas, this has changed! I got the most perfect pair and they have Melody written all over them...they have BOWS!

What are your favorite moments from 2011?