Breezy Days: June 2014

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June 30, 2014

Roadtrip Fuel to San Francisco

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

This past Wednesday we started our road trip up to San Francisco for a belated anniversary getaway before attending our friends wedding in Sacramento for the weekend. For the long 12 hour drive I made sure to have all the snacks necessary to refuel and continue our journey! I packed a cooler full of turkey sandwiches, raspberries/chocolate chips, crisp grapes, 20 oz Dr Peppers® and SNICKERS® 2-to-go bars. It was a genius idea, because it eliminated hunger pains & fast-food stops! 

As of late I've become a huge Dr Pepper®  fan and paired with my SNICKERS® 2-to-go it was just the fuel I needed to keep Ryan entertained with my gangster car dancing...and rapping. Hey, I didn't say I was any good! But at least it keeps the crowd coming back for more ;) That Sirius XM 90's station was my jam! #Refuel2Go

Ryan was such a trooper and drove the whole 12 hours (both there and back, whatta man!), which meant he was surviving on energy drinks along with this cold Dr Pepper® he's chugging! When you purchase (2) 20 oz Dr Peppers® and (2) SNICKERS® 2-to-go bars you can use this coupon at Walmart to get $1 off. Delicious snacks and savings? Count me in!

When I was grocery shopping at my Orem, UT Walmart I stopped by the displays at checkout to snag my road trip fuel. It was so convenient! When you buy (2) 20 oz Dr Peppers® and (2) SNICKERS® 2-to-go bars at your Walmart, you can text or email your receipt to refuel@drvusa.com for the chance to win 1 of 250 Walmart gas/gift cards (more info). Who wouldn't want some extra cash to gas up the car or fuel your road trip cravings?! Can't wait to share more of my San Francisco & Sacramento adventures with you, stay tuned! :) #CollectiveBias

June 26, 2014

Summer Wedges Link-Up

I'm so excited to be co-hosting this link-up with my blogger friend Elle from Living in Color Style and Jacqueline from Stylin' in St. Louis! They're a couple of gorgeous style bloggers, so make sure to stop by their blogs and say hello! If you've been around here a while you know I'm ALL about wedges, so I'm super stoked to be showing off one of my favorite pairs with this flowy & floral Sheinside maxi dress!

{Dress c/o Sheinside}

HOW TO LINK UP:

1. We kindly ask that you follow the two hosts: Elle form Living in Color Style and Jacqueline from Stylin' In St Louis via Bloglovin or GFC, and the guest host. Me! :)

2. Use the button provided on Elle or Jacqueline's side bar or link back to the link-up on your blog.

3. Enjoy reading other blogs and make new blogger friends!


June 25, 2014

Summertime Disneyland

I'm sure if you follow me on Instagram you saw that I had an awesome day at Disneyland with my mom! We were rushed to get there in the morning, but once we sat down for our lunch at the Blue Bayou restaurant in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride we were relaxed and excited for the day!

This is a restaurant that should be on anyones bucket list. Between the spooky atmosphere and amazing Monte Cristo sandwich, it's worth it to make reservations in advance to drop by. While I know this place would make for a romantic night topped off with premium wines (like these from JJ Buckley), I decided to go for the Louisiana Lemonade with a festive ice cube that changed colors! It was lemonade, Sprite, with mango and raspberry flavorings...SO TASTY. 


After a delicious lunch, we were excited to see that none of ride lines were too long. Hooray! We even made our way over to Fantasyland to hop on Mr. Toads Wild Ride and Snow White (which was ridiculously creepy btw), which usually never happens because there are so many little kids in line!




We ended the night with some Dole Whip floats from the Tiki Room and sat to people watch until we made our way to the car. No matter how old I get, Disneyland holds a special place in my heart. It's still is so magical to me! :)

June 23, 2014

Celebrating My College Graduation

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

The past couple of weeks I have been down in California visiting with my mom and celebrating my college graduation! We hit up the beach, Disneyland, and treated ourselves to a nice pedicure. Getting our nails done is a way of celebrating our big and small successes in life. Plus I gotta look snazzy for all the soccer parties we'll be having at our house ;) GOOOAAAALLLLL!

Not all goals have to be big and daunting, which is why I have made some small ones for myself this summer! I want to treat my sensitive skin with the care it deserves by using Aveeno products, because my skin could use the extra attention. I also want to go the extra mile to make sure my teeth are pearly white and minty clean by using Listerine mouthwash on a daily basis. 



After a fresh french pedicure, I made a stop at the local Provo, UT Walgreens to grab my Aveeno lotion and Listerine mouthwash at the conveniently located #CelebrateEveryGoal end cap. I love how it was decorated with such bright, festive, and fun colors! Makes me all pumped to watch some exciting soccer games! 

During the trip I also used my Walgreens Balance Reward Member card so I could stock up on points. Any purchase of $15 worth of Johnson & Johnson products on this end cap can earn you 3,000 points; which you can use to get more Walgreens discounts! This runs from June 6-July 26, 2014, so you better hustle and get yourself some points! 

This is a big summer for me, with graduating college and looking towards the next chapter in my life. My next goal is to find a job that fits me perfectly and to decide on whether or not graduate school is for me. Got myself a tall order here! Yikes! ;) #CollectiveBias

June 21, 2014

What You Need to Know Living in Provo + Going to BYU


Jesse is starting his first day ever of college this next Monday, so here's some things he needs to know to live in Provo and be a BYU cougar! These are all things you'd know if you've lived here a while, and it's become basic knowledge to Provoites. If you have any more to add, please comment!

Dear Jesse,

// First off, know the difference between University AVENUE and University PARKWAY. It's tricky at first, but it will save you a lot of trouble when navigating to the hip freshmen spots {i.e. dollar theater, university mall, nickelcade, etc.}

// Speaking of navigating Provo, you'll notice that streets don't have actual names. It's the grid system that is "supposedly" going to help newcomers find their way through the city. A huge help when trying to figure this out is knowing that the MOUNTAINS WITH THE 'Y' ARE EAST. Heading towards the mountains or away from the mountains is an adequate way of explaining where you're going.

{My good friend Ammon and I got sucked into this group date. He is a stud and pretended not to see me dying or those hideous pigtails haha}

// I will not allow you to take a girl on the "typical BYU date." Which is: hiking the Y or feeding the ducks in conjunction with local food. I repeat....I will not allow this. Go with some freshmen guy friends to hike the Y, but please don't take a date. Girls want to look pretty for you, not like a sweaty pig sucking air to get up those dang switchbacks.

// Pedestrians have a death wish. They will fling their body out into the street before looking both ways and just pray that cars will stop for them. Keep in mind and allow time for this stupidity while you're driving.

// Speaking of Utah drivers...they don't participate in the following driving practices: using a blinker to signal lane changes, waiting their turn at 4-way stops, actually braking at a red light {they like to run them}, or slowing down to turn...instead they slam on their brakes and take the turn like a 90 year old woman. Take the extra time to be a cautious & smart driver, it pays off!

{This will be you soon...another Elder Grossman!}

// Don't bother going out to eat on Wednesday afternoons, that's when missionaries get their free meals at local restaurants before heading into the MTC. Which you'll be doing soon enough :)

// Every Tuesday at 11am there is a devotional at BYU in the Marriott center {where the basketball court is}, which means all of campus closes down for it. Including the Cougareat and Canon Center. Don't plan on eating at that time.

// You may get sick of Canon Center cafeteria food. Good food alternatives are: Cafe Rio, Chick-fil-a, Zupas, Del Taco, Taqueria Vaquero, or Firehouse Subs. Make sure to also hit up Sodalicious by Smiths grocery store and the Hokulia Shaved Ice right by the dorms!

// On State St, the restaurant labeled Rancheritos is actually locally referred to as Betos. The horchata & burritos taste BOMB in the middle of the night.

// You'll soon know for yourself, but BYU students work their rears off! Don't be alarmed when it's a nice day out to see the grassy areas strewn with exhausted students. Actually, read your scriptures and take a nap in the warm sun once in a while. It's good for the soul. But don't sleep in a weird place/position because a fellow student will snap a pic of you for @byusleeps Instagram.

// BYU is filled with a bunch of overachieving goobers. So you're bound to see some interesting things. Such as: various groups breaking out into song in the middle of campus, people over-the-top decked out in costume at Halloween, inspirational chalk quotes to get you up the killer south campus staircase, people with "free hug" signs {take advantage on a bad day}, tunnel singing over by the dorms, and lots of LDS pun posters. Just shake your head, laugh and say "Only at BYU..."

{Me & Grant at the Festival of Colors my freshmen year}

// Provo has a lot of fun activities to offer! Summer rooftop concerts once a month, Velour concerts, themed marathons {color run, costume, glow in the dark}, Festival of Colors {in Spanish Fork}, state of the art Rec Center, 7 Peaks, Provo Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls, Saturday Farmers Markets, Thursday night food truck roundup, natural hot springs, Provo river floating, and tons more!

// Provo is biker friendly, it's a fun way to get around...not to mention the mountain view is gorgeous!

// The Testing Center is filled to the brim with stress, anxiety, and people tripping over backpacks to walk through the narrow aisles. Instead of taking tests in classrooms, teachers will tell you that your test is available in the Testing Center for 3-4 days. To avoid stress, long lines, late fees and brain cramming; make sure to take the test the first or second day it is available. You can also check the length of a line on the Testing Center website to determine if you want to take it then, or at a later time.

// Although, I would suggest taking a test any Monday night you can...because sometimes FHE groups will be standing outside the Testing Center exit doors with treats, praise, and high fives.

// Also, make sure to be super freshly shaven before going to try and take a test. Keep a razor in your backpack just in case or you'll be turned away for some beard scruff!

// Some of the closest and bestest friends I have today, I met my freshmen year at BYU. Participate in activities where you have the opportunity to meet lots of different people, but make sure to invest in the keepers.

// People are pretty friendly, so it's not weird to find a table full of complete strangers and ask to sit with them to eat or study.

// Make sure to utilize your teachers, TAs, and any friends you make in your classes. It makes all the difference! Plus it's always fun to run into old class friends on campus and chat it up.

If you have any more questions, just know your big sister is just down the road ;) Love you & have fun!

<3 Bri

June 19, 2014

Red, White, and Bouqs #BouqLove

Fresh flowers instantly make me feel brighter, happier, and more alive! Whenever possible I make sure that I have a bouquet of fresh flowers in my home because it gives that extra feminine and thoughtful touch. I even took some floral arranging classes with my mom way back in the day, and I love the peacefulness that comes over me when arranging a beautiful bouquet to display in my home. Usually I hit up local grocery stores for a quick bouquet, but after finding The Bouqs I'll definitely be looking to have them delivered to me. The flowers are just too gorgeous! :)

The Bouqs is an awesome flower site that takes all the hassle out of purchasing bouquets online. They have their own flower farm so your flowers are cut to order and sent directly to your front step! Their flowers are grown in the rich soil of an active volcano in South America or sent from the sunny surf of California, and how dang cool is that?! They aim to bring back the romance in gifting flowers and creating an amazing experience for the buyer and recipient of The Bouqs. 

The Bouqs doesn't have any hidden fees because they take out the middle man, which means that you get to enjoy a $40 flat fee for original size bouquets and absolutely free shipping. They brought back their Red, White and Bouq (Blue) bouquet just in time to celebrate the 4th of July! These would make an adorable addition to my outdoor BBQ party with friends and family :)

If red, white, and blue roses aren't your thing; The Bouqs also has these other gorgeous 4th of July bouquets with Pink Calla Lilies and Yellow Freesia or firecracker-looking Orange Ranunculus. One that I can't keep my eye off of is the 'Marshmellow' bouquet, which includes White Ranunculus and Larkspur flowers. Ummm, gorgeous much?? I can't wait to snag up a beautiful bouquet for the house after my San Francisco vacation next week! 

June 17, 2014

Beachin' It Up

Growing up I practically lived in swimsuits, with weekly summer beach days and almost daily pool trips to survive the 100+ degree heat. No matter what size, a well-fitting swimsuit is crucial to feeling confident! Beverly Swimwear sent me this gorgeous vintage bikini, and custom made it with fabrics I picked out. I was so excited to slip it on for my girls week beach trip :)

Beverly Swimwear offers modest, customizable, and classic swimwear styles at an amazing price! This adorable striped one piece and pattern mixed tankini are some of my other favorites :) Btw, I'm holding my hat in all these pictures because it was so dang windy! The thing almost flew off my head and disappeared into the ocean!

I chose the Geometric Gigi style and Beverly created my suit with these fun floral and strip prints. She altered the suit so it would fit me perfectly, and I honestly couldn't be happier with it. If you're looking for a unique modest suit for this summer, make sure to check out Beverly Swimwear

June 16, 2014

Summer Smooth Legs at Newport Beach

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

This past Wednesday my mom and I hit up Newport Beach as a part of our awesome girls week! After summers of weekly beach days, I know that having summer ready smooth legs is essential to feeling stellar in my swimsuit. Along with an adorable hat and coverup :)

Although, before hitting the beach or pool I got to make sure that my skin is silky smooth and protected! 

1// I usually shave the day before hitting the beach with my Shick Hydro Silk razor and favorite Skintimate shaving cream, so my sensitive skin doesn't get irritated by the sand. 

2// Then I use hydrating sunscreen/lotion like Banana Boat's Protect & Hydrate or Hawaiin Tropic's Silk Hydration right before I hop in the car and blast some classic Katy Perry tunes. 

3// Once I finally get through crazy California traffic to my destination, I pitch the umbrella and spray my easy-to-use Banana Boat Sport sunscreen to give that final layer of sunscreen protection! 

Having this arsenal of hydrating and protective leg care makes me feel confident and safe while enjoying the summer sun. To help you gather all the necessities for your summer look, there is an Instagram contest giving away $2, 250 worth in Target gift cards! To check out what other pics people are posting, search for the #MySummerLook hashtag!

Here's how to enter (contest runs June 26th-July 10th):
1// SNAP: take a picture of you getting summer ready
2// TAG: use #MySummerLook (and on Twitter @SummerReadyLook)
3// POST: post to Instagram or Twitter

Finally, topping off my silky legs with the perfect pedicure is such a confidence booster! Sally Hansen has adorable nail colors and snazzy nail kits like this stud one I picked up! That light blue color is probably my favorite color of all time, and it was named "Breezy Blue" so I pretty much felt obligated to get it ;)

I was able to snag all #MySummerLook necessities at the Lake Elsinore, CA Target near my parents house. All the goodies were conveniently showcased at the end of this aisle so I could grab and go to the beach! Hooray for safe and confident summer beach days! #CollectiveBias