post #49 - Mountain Weekend + New Car!

Hi sweet friends!!!

Did you think I disappeared? I practically have! It has been a crazy few weeks!

Remember on my last post (a week and a half ago) when I said I'd been super stressed? Well - it's because last Friday, we found out the Bar results! And guess what? I PASSED!! Friday was quite possibly the longest and most stressful day of my life. I was in panic mode all day, and was going on no sleep.

When I found out that I passed, we decided to head to the mountains with Jo's group of best guy friends. We had such a blast! I did a terrible job at taking pictures, but here is an idea of our trip...

{friends in hats}

{house discoveries}

{take 2}

{our house had the best props!}

{bro'ing out}

{food.}

{entire table of food. and daytime lounging}

{beautiful}

{mountains}

{hunny}

{clemson football}

{handsome hubby}

{besties}

Also - I can't believe we forgot to take a group girl pic! I guess it will have to wait until next year!

In even more news...

Last Monday, we got a new car!!

We found a great deal on the one we wanted and decided to go take a look. We found a 2012 with only 4000 miles on it (who drives a car for 2 years and only puts 4000 miles on it??) and got a real steal! We unexpectedly pulled the trigger and purchased it!

After that, I promptly went to DC for work, letting Jo drive our new car by himself all week. 

Want to hear about DC? Stay tuned later this week!

Until next time!

Xo -

Morgan

post #32 - F5: Beer, Dips, Sundresses, Cornhole, & Friends!

Five on Friday, First Week of Football Edition!

Y'all. This has been such a busy week! I have blogged exactly 0 times since last Friday. I've been slammed at work (yup, week 2, but glad to be busy) and have been getting prepared for the fun weekend ahead! The Clemson Tigers have their first home game this weekend against the Georgia Bulldogs. ESPN GameDay will be in TigerTown and I'll be up bright and early, celebrating hard!

So. stinkin. excited. for:

1. Beer

I've been on a fall beer kick already. Last weekend, I tried Pumpking for the first time at the recommendation of one of my bffs. While it was expensive ($7 for a double bottle, holy yikes), it was extra delicious. I also picked up a few Fat Tire Pumpkicks at the recommendation of the beer guy at Publix. It's lighter than some seasonal beers, and has hints of cranberry and spices. Yumyumyum. Give it a try, I bet you'll love it. We'll start with a few "nice" beers, but quickly move to Bud Light. You win some, you lose some.

[photo credit here]

2. Buffalo Chicken Dip & Funfetti Dip

Yep, after all of the fun appetizers that I posted last week, I settled on two things I've made before. I decided this game was not a time for experiments (some serious, serious tailgating is expected to occur), so I went back to old faithful.

[photo credit & recipe here]

[photo credit & recipe here]

3. Sundresses

There is no better purchase than a wonderful orange gameday dress. Fact.

{lilly pulitzer callista dress} [buy it here]

I die. But really, I die. This dress. Gimme.

{milly gustavia cotton & silk halter dress} [buy it here]

{french connection maxi pleat dress} [buy it here]

4. Cornhole

Self explaining. Nothing like a little game before the game. Can anyone explain why this game is so addicting? This was Jordan's big Christmas gift last year and I know these boards will get lots of use this weekend.

5. Friends
Ready to SQUEEZE these people! We usually spend Saturdays tailgate hopping to see everyone. I'm also thankful for a night game so it will be a little easier to make our rounds.

...and of course, can't wait to play with the cutest Tiger tailgater...my niece!

We'll come home Sunday and take it easy on Monday. I think we'll need some Labor Day recovery. Hope you're as excited about your weekend plans as I am!

In other news, two sweet bloggers, Carolina Belle & From Mississippi With Love have nominated me for a Liebster Award! This is a fun blog post where you answer some random questions about yourself. It's a way for new bloggers who are just getting started to let others find out a little more about you and discover other new blogs! I'll be doing this post next week, so get ready for my silly answers! Hints - when I was little I wanted to be a singer (and actress and doctor and probably a princess). And is my favorite current song still allowed to be Blurred Lines after what Miley pulled? It's just so catchy...

This week I passed 100 followers on my Facebook page! Yay! Are you following Makeshift Margaritas yet? Follow on Bloglovin or Instagram, too!

Happy weekend!!
xo - morgan

post #31 - F5: Orange Football Foods for Foodies

Friday Five - Football Foods for Foodies! Bonus - they're orange!

Is anyone else so excited for two things today? 1) It's FRIDAY! and 2) Next week is the start of COLLEGE FOOTBALL! Even though the South Carolina Gamecocks have their home opener next Thursday in the city where I live, I don't know about y'all, but I am counting the seconds until I'm cheering on my Clemson Tigers next weekend! I can already taste the cold beer and feel the love of thousands of my best friends in a sea of orange. It's gonna be a rowdy, rowdy day. Bulldogs, woof.

One of the best (and worst) things about football season is loads and loads of food! I've been scouring Pinterest for tailgate recipes. This year, I'll have access to a kitchen before and during tailgates, which will make tailgating food so much easier!

Instead of writing about my favorite things this week, I thought it would be better to chat about what some of my favorite upcoming things are sure to be...these yummy football foods! I can't wait to try some of these fun orange appetizers...do you have any favorites that no tailgate is complete without?

1. Palmetto Cheese Pinwheels

[find the picture & recipe here]

I've had these before. And they were awesome. I ate about 6 or 20. I can't wait to try my hand at making them myself!

2. Pumpkin Poppers

[find the picture & recipe here]

Picturing these for a breakfast tailgate before a noon game. Paired with a mimosa or 3 perhaps?

3. Buffalo Chicken Bites

[find the picture & recipe here]

Buffalo Chicken Dip? In a pre-made bite? Sold.

4. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

[find the picture & recipe here]

The perfect little party popper.

5. Pumpkin Pie Dip

[find the picture & recipe here]

Ever since I saw Christina post this on Carolina Charm, I've been dying to make it. It screams fall, and is so festive! 

Want to stay updated? Don't forget to follow MM on Facebook, BlogLovin, and Instagram!

P.S. You didn't think I'd leave out the BEST orange tailgate essential, did you?

[photo credit here]

post #27 - Las Vegas Vacation

And...we're back!

We had so. much. fun. on our Vegas vacation! We ate. (a lot). We walked. (a lot) We saw (a lot) of crazy people. We saw the-best-show-ever (Love - Cirque De Soleil). We gambled. We drank. We wandered around. We hung out, together, without other people...something that has happened far too little in the past few months of our marriage. I would say it was a successful First Anniversary trip. 

{cab ride to the strip}

{bacchanal buffet @ caesar's palace...huge chandeliers made out of glasses!}

{during the day at the wynn...notice the hubs' lucky vegas party shirt!}

{before dinner one night at our hotel}

{finishing up dinner!}

{love...love...love... the beatles!}

{violating the very strict no photos policy. but it was before the show started? so that doesn't count, right?}

Although all of the travel and hectic-ness has been a blast, it's going to be good to be home for awhile. Football is about to start, and Lord knows what a busy but fun time of year that is! I have one more week until I start work, so this week will be full of lounging, cooking, cleaning, and more lounging.

Are you traveling to Vegas soon? Stay posted for a biglongpost about where we ate! Hear the good, the bad, the great, and the ugly!

Don't forget to follow MM on BlogLovin, Facebook, & Instagram to stay updated!

Xox - MBC

post #22 - F5: Nashville Edition (Guest Post)

Five on Friday from Nashville!

For my Friday Five today, I asked one of my college roomies and BFFs to post all the way from Tennessee! Hope y'all love reading about some Nashville favorites as much as I did!

Hello loyal MM readers. I was very excited when Morgan asked me to be a guest blogger, but also a little nervous. I couldn’t think of a thing to talk about. Then, I remembered, I live near one of the most entertaining cities in the South East!

I’ll give you a little background. I moved to Tennessee with my husband who is currently stationed at Fort Campbell. We visit Nashville frequently and even did a surprise party for him in the city when he came home from Afghanistan. We quickly fell in love with Nashville.

I know vacations can get pricey fast, so here are some of my favorite (cheap) places to visit in Nashville. 

1. Favorite Bar- Paradise Park Trailer Resort

From the outside, this bar looks like your average dive. On the inside, however, it is set up like a trailer park. Yes, you read that right. This is a trailer park themed bar.  I mean, how could you go wrong with live music, a pontoon and astro turf carpet? This is one of my favorite bars on Broadway. They have cheep beer ($6.00 a pitcher), awesome music, and a great environment. You definitely need to keep an open mind when visiting PPTR, but you are sure to have a great time.

{photo credit}

{Trey, Channing, Clayton, Me, Mary Bradlee and Chris at Paradise Park}

2. Favorite Restaurant- Demo’s Steak & Spaghetti House

My favorite restaurant in Nashville has to be Demo’s. My husband and I stumbled upon this little gem while driving through downtown. The line to go into the restaurant wrapped all the way around the corner. I knew that meant it must be good. In fact, I could eat here at least once a week and be one happy girl.

{photo credit here}

Demos is known for their spaghetti (my favorite) and steaks. You can get a huge bowl of spaghetti, a basket of breadsticks and a salad for $8.19 plus tax.

{photo credit here}

I personally cannot visit Demos and not stuff myself with some of their yummy cherry delight (about $3 for a big pan). Make sure you bring some Spelnda, as all of their tea is sweetened with syrup. Not my favorite!

3. Favorite Breakfast- Pancake Pantry

{photo credit here}

I know what you’re thinking, “Could food really be worth standing in this line for?” The line is actually worse than it seems, but the answer is still YES! The Pancake Pantry is a Nashville staple, and I was eager to try it on our last visit. We waited in line for almost two hours and when we finished eating, we had only been sitting for about 20 minutes. They are super fast, but the food is amazing. I ordered the omelet, which was more like an egg with all of the extras on top. This came with three (yes, three) huge pancakes. My husband and a few of our friends ordered the specialty, sweet potato pancakes with a cinnamon cream sauce. There are no words to describe this meal! 

4. Favorite Hotel- Opryland Hotel

     

     {photo credit here}

The Opryland Hotel is like no other hotel I have ever stayed in. I imagine it is something like the mega-hotels in Vegas. Even if you do not stay here (as it can be pricey), I would recommend at least stopping by to check it out. Make sure you plan on spending a few hours. The hotel has at least 15 restaurants, over 2,800 rooms, 9-acres of indoor gardens, waterfalls and an indoor river. Just like most places in Nashville, there is always live entertainment. The hotel itself offers plenty of entertainment, but it is within walking distance of Opry Mills Mall and The Grand Ole Opry. My favorite time to visit Opryland would have to be Christmas. They decorate the entire hotel in true Nashville fashion.  

{photo credit here}

5. Favorite Tour- Nashville Pedal Tavern

As I mentioned before, we recently had a surprise weekend for my husband when he returned from Afghanistan. I was able to book a 2.5 hour tour on the Nashville Pedal Tavern during the day on Saturday. We had just enough people (16) to fill an entire trolley with one person acting as the bartender in the middle. 

We quickly learned there were a few seats that did not require pedaling and at the first stop made sure to switch spots.  It was probably one of the most fun things I have done in Nashville so far. You can get out at different stops and go into bars with discounts, or do like we did and stay on the trolley and drink what you brought with you. It was well worth the $25.00.

   

  {My husband on the front of the trolley}

I hope you enjoyed and have the chance to visit Nashville soon. My next stop is Nashville favorite, Blue Bird Café. That is if I can ever get a reservation! Do you have any Nashville favorites?  

Thanks so much to Anna for guest posting! This made me even more sad (if that is humanly possible) to have missed her hubby's homecoming celebrations! Are you ready to visit Nashville yet? I sure am!

Don't forget to follow me on Blog Lovin, Instagram, Facebook, and Blogger! Counting the days until I'll be blogging again --- August 1 can't come soon enough!

Until next time!!

MBC

{A. Liz Adventures} {Carolina Charm} {Hello! Happiness} {The Good Life Blog}

{Lauren Elizabeth}

post #20 - F5: iPad Stand, Cucumber Basil Sorbet, Ginger Cilantro Margaritas, Monogrammed Wreath, The Great Gatsby

Five on Friday - Pinterest Edition

Goooooood morning everyone! Hope your weeks have been great. Sadly, this is my last post until AUGUST! I'm getting super pumped for the guest posts I have lined up for the next few weeks. I can't wait for y'all to read them!

I've done nothing but study this week. Like, nothing. It has been so hard balancing studying and being on Royal Baby watch! It's so hard to decide which is more important. I also had this problem while studying this spring and personally attempting to catch the Marathon Bomber from my own home using only internet photos for two days straight. While I thought I was sure to find a lead, luckily, the actual police beat me to it.

All I can think about lately are my upcoming travels and all the things I want to do after the bar exam. DIY, baking, and house decorating are up there on the list, thankya much Pinterest. Since my week has been super uninteresting (unless you want to read a post entirely about Sugar Free Red Bull, Highlighters, and fun phone apps involving multiple choice questions), I'm hitting you up with 5 things I can't wait to do in August, Pinterest style...

1. This iPad stand for cooking in the kitchen (once we get an iPad, that is)

PerfectlyImperfectJenn.com

Mamiejanes.blogspot.com

2. Cucumber Basil Sorbet

(hanging on to the little bit of summer I have left)

scalingbackblog.com

3. Ginger Cilantro Margaritas

thegoudalife.tumblr.com

4. Monogrammed Wreath DIY

(because every house should have one of these. and i've been maybe riding around with a wreath in the back of my car to make this since May oops)

Etsy

5. Read Books That Are Actually Good

So many lists of books, where to begin! After essentially not reading for pleasure for 3 years (with the exception of a few honeymoon books last summer), my list has piled up. And since I'm a firm believer of reading a book before seeing a movie, that means my movies have piled up too. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person on the planet who has yet to read or watch Hunger Games. This book will be an almost immediate purchase in August. Maybe even a car ride-to-Alabama or plane ride-to-Vegas read? 

Once I can check the books I've been waiting to read off my list, I am going to try some of these recommendations: 20 Books to Read In Your 20's.

Are there any books that I have to read, pronto? I'd love any recommendations!

Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin, Blogger, and Facebook! You don't want to miss these fun guest posts! ;-)

That's all, my people! See ya on the SUNNY SIDE! And I promise --- I'll be much sunnier in August :-)

MBC

A. Liz Adventures

Carolina Charm

Hello! Happiness

The Good Life Blog