Erin Akin Carroll

Your Best Summer Giveaway

Jun22014

I’m super excited about today’s post because I’m giving away some of my favorite things with some of my favorite people… and one lucky winner will receive $500 cash in addition to all these fantastic items!

We’ve all teamed up to bring some of our favorite things for summer. One super lucky winner will receive the following items:

$500 CASH!

2015 Day Designer by Whitney English

Mommy and Me beach towels (The Bishop Towel and The Bonnie Towel) from The Beaufort Bonnet Company

Prayer Journal from Val Marie Paper

Accessory Beach Bags from Hayden Reis

Ice Ice Baby tumbler from Ashley Brooke Designs

Double Layer Necklace from Caroline G

Be sure to check out the following blogs and shops….

Erin from Blue-Eyed Bride, Ashley Brooke Designs, Whitney English, Kelly from Kelly’s Korner, Ashley from Fancy Ashley, Carrie from Chasing Big Dreams, Nina from According to Nina, Courtney from Pizzazzerie, Jenny Collier, Julia Ryan, Chrissi Shields, Sheaffer from Pinterest Told Me To, Sarah from Life Is Beauty Full, and Valerie Woerner from Val Marie Paper

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Uncommon Goods for Father's Day

Filed Under: gifts

May312014

Father’s Day is right around the corner. We’ll be on vacation next week, and when we return we won’t have much time at all to prepare before it’s the big day to celebrate Todd, my dad, and my father-in-law.

We don’t usually do a lot for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but I love to find fun gifts for Todd that will make him laugh or find things that make us think of a fun family memory.

I’ve found fun gifts for friends and my mom from Uncommon Goods in the past and I hadn’t really thought to look there for something fun for Todd. I was really excited to see that they had some really great gift ideas for Dads. I love these ideas because none of them are things he would buy for himself, and they’re all very unique. He’ll always remember that his kids gave it to him.

ONE/ TWO/ THREE/ FOUR/ FIVE/ SIX/ SEVEN/ EIGHT/ NINE

And then, of course, while I was looking for gifts for Todd and my dad and my father-in-law, I started making my own little wish list of things I love and things I’d love to give as baby gifts or birthday gifts. There are fun things for every gift occasion! You can find lots of personalized items here. That unicorn coffee mug is calling my name, y’all!

ONE/ TWO/ THREE/ FOUR/ FIVE/ SIX/ SEVEN/ EIGHT/ NINE/ TEN/ ELEVEN

*This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods, but, as always, all thoughts on items are all my own, and these are all items I’d love to give or receive.

What I Learned in May & What I'm Into

Filed Under: What I Learned This Month, What I'm Into This Month

May302014

I‘m linking up with Leigh Kramer for What I’m Into

1. The new Coldplay album

I love, love, love Coldplay, and this album came at the perfect time right before our beach trip.

2. The Nesting Place and The One & Only

I’ve been slowly and deliberately devouring The Nester’s beautiful book, Nesting Place. Seriously. It’s beautiful and it just tugs at my heart. And I’m planning to read more of Emily Giffin’s new book in the car on the way to the beach. Are you on Goodreads? Someone asked where I find my book recommendations. A lot of it is word of mouth or reading reviews in magazines and newspapers, but I also love Goodreads.

3. This shirt from Anthropologie is my new favorite thing. I want to wear it every single day.

4. This blog post I read by Emily Freeman was the best thing I’ve read in a long, long time. You should read it, too!

I’m also linking up with the lovely Emily Freeman for What I Learned in May

1. This month, I learned that my body’s reaction to pollen season tends to change every five years or so. I used to get these horrible sinus infections. Now I just completely lose my voice and don’t have any other symptoms. And while I was regaining my voice, I was asked to sing a solo at church. So then I also learned that if I drank a honey and lemon juice concoction for 24 hours, I could regain my voice enough to pull it off.

2. I actually do like playing outside with my boys. Yeah, I don’t love to sweat, but who cares, right? Let’s make some fun memories outside while they run their little hearts out.

3. I really do love my morning coffee. A tiny splash of dairy first thing in the morning is necessary for me to have my best day.

4. Making a strawberry pie is a lot of fun. Making a perfect strawberry pie takes practice. Eating a strawberry pie is amazing!

Books I Read in May

Filed Under: Books

May292014

I wasn’t completely sure that I would finish three books this month. I got off to kind of a slow start, and spent more time watching TV at night. Specifically Dancing With the Stars and The Voice. (I was fully on Team Meryl and Maks, so I’m super excited.)

Anyway… I did finish three books! The long weekend helped and then the lack of decent summer TV also helped. I spent a lot of nights on our porch under the ceiling fan devouring these books. My reviews this month are a little mixed, so read ahead!

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

This is the book that made me feel most conflicted. I liked it. I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to see the movie. But I also didn’t like any of the characters. But they’re flawed and they’re real. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book, and quite a few times I gave the book to Todd to read a few paragraphs that had me in stitches. I love that this book gave me a strong reaction to the characters and it would be impossible not to recommend someone read it just because it was so wildly entertaining. This is not a story of a lovey dovey family. This family is full of secrets and eyebrow-raising moments. But I just couldn’t stand the characters. I’m not really even sure what to say about that. Did I like it or not? I guess I should had a strong reaction to it, and that’s a good thing.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Oh my goodness. This book stirred some emotions in me, too. I didn’t cry, but I felt so sad for both of the characters. I loved them and how well-developed they are. This book tells the story of two teenage misfits who develop an unlikely relationship. It’s set in the 80s, so there are some fun references there. I highly recommend this one just because of the great character development. I’m hoping for a sequel, and I saw that DreamWorks picked up the rights to the movie.

Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt

This was my favorite book I read all month. Goodness, this book tells a tragic story of love, of loss, of disease, and jealousy. But it’s also a great coming-of-age book, and it had some really beautiful moments of healing and forgiveness and friendship. I really enjoyed it!

*Some people have asked what my top reading recommendations are for beach reads for the summer. You can look back at what I’ve read so far this year, but my top 3 beach reads so far are What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and now Tell the Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt. (If you haven’t read these, go ahead and do it!)

Books I Read in February

Books I Read in March

Books I Read in April

In June, I plan to read The One and Only by Emily Giffin, The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith, and something nonfiction. Any nonfiction recommendations?

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