Thank You Notes {a new weekly series}

As a girl growing up in the South, my parents have always instilled in me the importance of a handwritten thank you note. I feel like the art of thank you notes is dying quicker than the art of handwritten letters and that really saddens me. If you know me, you know that handwriting letters is one of my favorite things... So any excuse to write is a good excuse.

One of the only shows I watch regularly on the television is the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. My whole family will gather around and watch, and it's so rare that THAT happens. My favorite segment that he does every Friday is "Thank You Notes", where he writes funny thank you notes to popular things. I've been looking for a weekly series to post on Fridays for a while. Something that isn't a stereotypical Friday Faves or Friday Five or some other alliteration on Friday. I love reading those posts, but I really wanted something I could showcase my favorites in, but had to put a little more thought into! So one Friday night while I was working on the blog and listening to the Tonight Show play in the background, the idea came to me of posting my own thank you notes every Friday! I think this is going to be a cute and unique way to show y'all some of my favorites, while being a little unique and preserving some southern culture.

So shall we begin?

First of all, a BIG thank you to Winter Storm Octavia for six inches of snow, five days off of school, and -6 degree weather in the middle of the South. #snowweek

Thank you Classy Cathleen for bringing together blogger perfection and two of my blog best friends when she interviewed Caitlin of Your Typical Prep HERE!

Thank you mug recipes for keeping me entertained when I'm stranded at home with no food. Check out my favorites HERE. And if you're looking for the best microwave cookie EVER then check out this recipe.

Thank you l'Occitane for making me feel like I live en Provence this week when really I'm stranded in Antarctica... I had to make a little stop by the l'Occitane store while I was in South Carolina, it has been one of my favorite brands since before I can even remember! Check out my Valentine's gift to myself for l'Occitane HERE.

Thank you Starbucks for coming out with a TIRAMISU LATTE and bringing Caramel Flan back. I'm so stoked to try the tiramisu and caramel flan was my favorite last year! As soon as this snow melts I will be runnninggggg to my nearest Starbucks.

Thank you to my brother for being the best duet partner ever. Last weekend at West Coast Dance Explosion in Greenville (one of the toughest competitions!), our duet scored only five points away from a perfect 300! We ended up getting second in our division and first place was only a point ahead of us. We had the highest score out of around 15 dances from our studio and one of the highest scores in the whole competition!

AND a big thank you to all of you for reading my little corner of the internet. Make sure to check back every Friday for more thank yous!!

What are you thankful for this week?

Craving Warmth {things you can make in a mug}

If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably heard it from me a thousand times, but Tennessee simply does not do snow. Two inches can easily get us out of school for a few days, but six?! What was expected to be a nice little snow day on Monday turned into a nice little snow week! The break from school could not have come at a better time as I was really starting to get overwhelmed, but snow days also have their downfalls. I was stranded at my friend's house Monday through Wednesday and even though I'm finally home, I still can't leave! The roads in my neighborhood are some of the worst in the area. Not being able to get out at all is slowly driving me crazy... I am so bored. One thing that I've been doing all week though, (even at my friend's house!) is satisfy my sweet tooth. I've been cooking up a storm to escape boredom. One of the best ways to cook for yourself without having a huge mess to clean up is cook in a mug!

Now I sound crazy... But you would be amazed at some of the things you can cook by microwave in a mug. Cakes, brownies, cookies... I've even made scrambled eggs before! When you're stuck at home for a week and have limited resources (and don't want to get yelled at for making a mess), mug recipes are my favorite way to have a little indulgence! Here are some of my favorites!

Omelet in a Mug

Homemade Single Serve Macaroni in a Mug
I've literally been craving macaroni all week and plan to make this as soon as I publish this.



As far as mug desserts go, Kirbie's Cravings is the master. She has over 100 different mug desserts on her site! I've tried a ton and they are all DELICIOUS. You can find something to satisfy any sweet craving you're having!

This Snickerdoodle Mug Cake has my mouth watering!

Seriously so many possibilities! Mug recipes are the perfect way to give you something fun to do and warm to enjoy on these chilly days off. (Never giving up my sweet tea though!)

Tell me if you try or plan on trying any of these out!!!

Hope you all stay safe in this weather!

What A Girl Wants {valentine's day gift guide}

Today it struck me that Valentine's Day is literally NEXT WEEKEND. This year has been flying by! I will be in spending my V-day in one of my favorite places, Greenville, South Carolina, with my true love, dance, at the biggest competition of our studio's season! I love Valentine's Day because everything is pink and glitter is involved... like what else is there to love? Most of this gift guide is under $60, but there are a few splurge items if you're up for it.

First of all, I am in love with this Kate Spade stack, but especially the Be Mine idiom bangle! On the outside there are words engraved like cutie pie, hot stuff, baby cakes, darling (so much cheese) and on the inside "Be Mine" is engraved. I think it's perfect because Kate knows how to sap it up without being cringeworthy. The hot pink bangle, bow bracelet, and pink watch pair perfectly with it! (I think the Loren Hope bracelet would work well too!) It also comes in silver. And what completes the look better than the matching Kendra Scott Alex earrings?! I also found this adorable small heart-shaped tray from Kate Spade!

My second true love is glitter... duh. The La Clé glitter key necklaces are the perfect gift for a fellow glitter enthusiast. I've been wearing my gold glitter key ever since I got it in the mail a few days ago. You can even add a custom key with something cute and meaningful stamped on it for a more personal gift. 

Tiffany and Co always knows how to make something perfect out of something that isn't my favorite. For example, charm bracelets have never been my thing but the Tiffany ones are perfect! My parents gave me one for my seventeenth birthday and I wear it all the time. I'm constantly browsing the Tiffany website to find which charm I want next! Charm bracelets are a good gift because it takes the thinking out of gifts for every year after. Another thing Tiffany changed into perfection was this bow ring. I feel like everyone and their mother has an infinity ring nowadays. This bow ring has the same meaning, but you won't have the same ring as everyone else you know! Also, if you're wanting to give someone the pleasure of opening a blue box without the crazy price tag, I just found this blue box mug that is so so SO CUTE. It's only $35 and I will definitely be ordering one for myself like ASAP.

This bralette from Aerie is my favorite because you don't have to wear anything under it! I love mine for dancing in especially and I'm fully expecting to have one in every color by the end of this competition season.

Last but not least, the Clarisonic is my go-to skin saver. I feel like every girl needs it in their beauty arsenal. I love mine and have started to pick it up again recently. This NARS lipstick is also the perfect bright pink. Bold lips are my thang and I really want to pick this up!

Hope you enjoy some of my favorite things this Valentine's Day!

What are your plans on February 14th?

Luxletic

LILLY ACTIVEWEAR IS HERE

or as it's chic-ly named, Luxletic.

Currently the collection is starting out with this Weekender jacket and pant at $138 and $98, respectively. This puts it at a slightly higher price point than my favorite lululemon jacket and Wunder Unders. The jacket comes in pink, blue, and orange. The pants come in navy and black. Personally, I think the line is a little lackluster and there is nothing special to make me want it. Until LP starts releasing more of the line, I think I'll be sticking to good ole Lulu.

What do you think of the new activewear? Will you be adding it to your collection?

Follow me on Twitter, and my new Instagram!

#STARBUCKSDATE + Preperella's on Insta!

"Meet me at Starbs in 20"

A sentence I know I've uttered countless times.

First dates, job interviews, marriage proposals, reunions, (my junior year) promposals.

My beloved Starbs has truly seen it all and on February 13th after 2pm, it's about to see more.

From 2pm to close on February 13th, Starbucks is pairing with Match.com and holding the world's largest Starbucks date... I don't know about you, but I've never been a part of the "World's Largest" anything. What's better to brag about than being apart of the world's largest date at my favorite place? I get to check two things off my list because I've never been on a Starbs date, either... #confessiontime. And if you're single this Valentine's Day, you can still say you went on a date...a lonely date of coffee and solitude. Not like I was going to tell people that or anything.

You can enjoy special pairings like a grande raspberry mocha and a heart cookie, or a Caffé Verona® Coffee Press for Two and a Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie, for only $5. Not only that, but there will be romantic music playlist and photo props. A few cute touches will work to make Starbucks a little more romantic on this special day.

This is all in honor of Match.com's new "Meet at Starbucks" feature, which will let crushes schedule a Starbucks date in one click.

I want to see you on your #STARBUCKSDATE whether it's with friends, a special someone, or yourself! Tag me in your Insta pics from this special event with #pstarbsdate or tag my NEW INSTAGRAM @preperella_. I'd love it if y'all could follow me!

What do you think of the World's Largest Starbucks Date? Will you attend?

Let me know in the comments!