Blogoversary: Southern Tide Giveaway

Happy Friday y'all. Guess what today is? MPLT's first blogoversary. It's hard to believe that I've been blogging for a full year! After previous attempts at blogging, it feels like I've finally hit my rhythm... so thank you all so much for sticking by me for a full year. I'm so thankful for all of you.


Now - time for the good stuff: Have you heard of Southern Tide yet? I loooove Southern Tide. I love it for myself - but I love it most for my man! Chad has a few Southern Tide shirts (polos, tees and button-downs) - and l.o.v.e.s. them. They hold their color and shape so much better than other polo shirts he owns. And I love the material - it is super soft.

Here's the Southern Tide story:

The idea for Southern Tide was born not on the coast of South Carolina where founder, Allen Stephenson spent his summers, but on a trip to Italy where inspiration was at every turn. From historical architecture and couture clothing to high-performance sports cars, he noticed common threads - exceptional craftsmanship, clean lines, fine quality, and classic design. These elements combined with Allen's heritage became Southern Tide.

Our first product, the Skipjack Polo set a new standard in comfort and fit. We engineered the yarn, fabric, fit, and finish to create a modern version of this classic shirt. Since then, Southern Tide has evolved into an entire collection built on the same high standards as the Skipjack Polo. From our original woven sport shirts, to Channel Marker Khakis with navigational colored button thread, we are meticulous when it comes to detail and quality.

Our way may not be the most conventional, and may take a little longer, but we want our clothing to make you look and feel your best. Superior fit, classic design and comfort are key elements of our effortless style.

So for today's giveaway - I'm giving away one size large men's Southern Tide Skipjack polo (valued at $69.50) in the Tidewater color.


This shirt would be a great gift for the man in your life. And remember, Father's Day is right around the corner! It would make a fabulous gift!

Here's how you enter:
1) Leave a comment on this blog saying your favorite thing about the beach! (One comment per person, please!)
2) If you're a follower of MPLT, your entry counts twice! So follow, follow, follow if you aren't already.
3) If you tweet, post on Facebook or post on your own blog about this giveaway, your entry counts TRIPLE. Honor's system - just let me know if you've done one of these things in your comment!
4) Winner will be randomly selected and announced next Friday, June 4th.
5) Contest open to U.S. residents only.

Good luck! I hope some of you are getting to spend some time in the Southern tide this Memorial Day Weekend!

Cute

So I was going through some old pictures the other day and found two really cute pictures of two really cute people.

My ma and daddy. Aren't they precious?

They were high school sweethearts. I loved looking at their high school yearbooks when I was younger... seeing what they wrote in each others books. Checking out their pictures - sports pics for my dad, student government pics for my mom. Laughed at their senior superlatives:

My Dad: Biggest Flirt. My dad first met my mom when she a sophomore, and was he a junior. And of course he thought she was super cute. Problem? She had an older boyfriend at the time... a senior. How did my dad handle it? He went up to said boyfriend and told him "This time next year I'll be dating your girlfriend." Haha, I'm sure the boyfriend looooved hearing that. But sure enough, the following year, it happened. And my dad's pick-up line? Asking my mom (who was outside for gym class) if she needed him to put suntan lotion on her shoulders. Play on playa.

My Mom: Most Popular. And if you know my mom, you no doubt know she wasn't the "popular because I'm snooty" type - but popular because she probably was the nicest person in that whole school. You don't get nicer and sweeter than my mom.

I bet as young teens they didn't think 35+ years ago here they'd be... five children, 3 children-in-law, lots of laughs, cries, stories and memories later. But I'm so thankful they are.

I think I'll keep 'em.

Shame

We've been in our house for nearly two months...

and I have NO window treatments. Nada one. No blinds. No drapes. No shades. Not in the bedroom. Bathroom. Living room. Nothing.

I'm so embarrassed.
When we first moved in, I was all gung-ho to get things going and set up. And set up we did... everything except one guest bedroom and window treatments... which I haven't touched. Well this weekend - being a long weekend and all - I'm going to get some stuff DONE.

I've been putting off doing window treatments in our bedroom because I know I want to buy new bed linens (and I can't choose drapes until bed linens are selected.) So hopefully I'll get time to shop for that this weekend. Then, I'm just going to measure the bathrooms, bonus room and guest bedrooms for wood blinds... and go ahead and get those ordered. I really wanted to do plantation shutters... but I couldn't justify $500/per window at this time. Or any other time really (especially when our house has like 25 floor to ceiling windows.) And while I love plantation shutters... does anyone every stop and go "Ooooooh - I LOVE the shutters you chose for your house!" No. They don't. Now custom fabric treatments... they could get some attention. So I'll save my $$$ for that in the living room... where they'll get the most action.

But, alas, the dining and living room are going to have to wait - as I really want to have someone make custom treatments for those... and right now, time and money are not on my side.

But as long as the bathroom and bedroom windows are covered... I'll feel much better.

This morning

(before 8 a.m.)

... I accidentally poured fresh coffee grounds into my coffee maker's water filter.

...I stepped on a shard of glass and sliced my foot.

... I had to slam on the breaks to avoid running a red light, thus spilling the contents of my purse across the floor of my car.

...I spilled aforementioned coffee all over myself and car.

And I still smiled my way through the day. Why? I choose happy.

Lost Finale

So a few months back I commented how I was just ready for Lost to end already. They had dragged it out so much - and I thought I was bound to be disappointed by the finale.

I'm pleased to say - I was so wrong.

Of course the finale didn't answer many of the questions the past 6 seasons have posed... but I think it if did, it would have felt too forced. We would have just heard answer after answer after answer.

What the finale did an outstanding job of doing is getting you emotionally connected to the characters again so that all you cared about was the very satisfying way they brought them all back together at the end. The reason the show had such a cult-like following was because of the intrigue and mystery. If the finale answered every question, what people loved most about the show would have been stripped from it. So in the end, yes you are still left with questions, but you are satisfied with the non-answers.

And from the opening of the very first episode - of Jack opening his eyes - to the end of the very last - Jack closing his eyes... just amazing.

Bravo I say. I don't think they could have possibly ended it better.

PS: And a small cheer that Jack and Kate ended up together in the end... it was my hope all along.

Exciting Giveaway

I have a new - and very exciting - giveaway coming up later in the week. The best part - this one is for the gentleman! I'm thankful for my man readers... so this is my way of showing appreciation to them for dealing with me while I write about Grey's Anatomy, and babies, and other random girly-things (ex. here, here and here). So I encourage you to pass my blog along to the men in your life.

(Or you can just enter my giveaway on behalf of your husband, brother, father or friend. Trust me -you'll want to win this one!)

Stay tuned...

Holy Grey's Finale!

***SEMI-SPOILER ALERT*** Don't continue reading if you don't want to know a bit of what happened on last night's season finale of Grey's Anatomy...


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Why the heck did that shooter run around in that hospital for the whole 2-hour episode?!?!? Really? And when he was with Lexie about to shoot her and a SWAT team guy shot him and Lexie got away, WHY oh WHY did he not get captured then?! Yet he still managed to terrorize the hospital for another hour. Ugh. So irritating. I know it's not real - but that whole part was so far fetched that it *almost* ruined the whole episode for me.

But other than that... man, what a crazy episode! I can't believe so many major characters were shot last night. Grey's Anatomy had fallen in my book to Private Practice... but it's climbing back up there.

Still - Dexter, Top Chef, So You Think You Can Dance and Modern Family still reign supreme in my book. ;)