Crop Swim Top  |  Fold-over Swim Bottom  |   Straw Hat  |  Similar Towel

Happy Friday!  Now that it is officially summer, I can't stop thinking about the next pool day or beach or weekend getaway.  The pool is my favorite, just a 10 minute drive to my sister's house and I'm welcomed to our own little oasis.  Having an area to bask in the sun while my nephews swim is a nice break from going down the slide and hopping off the diving board several times!  A durable swimsuit that can keep up with all the pool activities is key.  I love to mix and match pieces to spice things up.  Aerie and Target are the only places I shop for swim!  They have the best deals with the greatest selection.  I'm sharing some other favorites in the widget below!

Any plans for the weekend?  Somehow during the week my Saturday/Sunday plans got out of hand!  I'm going to be pretty busy but in a good way :)  plus, I get to see all my favorite people! 

With July 4th quickly approaching, it's time to start planning what delicious dish to bring to those backyard BBQ's!  Gathering around food is how we celebrate any occasion and the 4th is no different.  It's a great time of year to use fresh ingredients and take advantage of the grill.  Today I'm sharing a couple recipes to enjoy on Independence Day that are also on the healthy side.  

Directions:
Heat the sock in a saucepan over medium heet.  Add the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Drain off the excess liquid, then coarsely shed the chicken and et aside to cool completely.  To make the dressing, whisk the lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, garlic, chili, and 2 teaspoons of water together in a small bowl and set aside.  Place the chicken, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, red onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl.  Drizzle over the dressing, season with salt and pepper.  Toss gently to combine.  To serve, place the bread rolls on a serving plate and fill with chicken salad.

American Flag Fruit Pizza
Ingredients:

• 1 can Pillsbury Crescent seamless dough
• 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt, vanilla flavor
• Strawberries, blueberries and banana

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lay out the Pillsbury dough on a greased baking sheet. Shape into a rectangle and press down on the corners, then bake 15 to 20 minutes until it's golden brown.
3. Let the crust cool for a few minutes until it's room temperature.
4. Spread the Greek yogurt over the crust, right to the edges.
5. Using the blueberries, make a border around the crust, then fill in the top left quadrant to make the "stars" of the flag.
5. Make layers of thinly sliced strawberries and bananas for the stripes.

Share your favorite 4th of July recipe in the comments!

Pocket Tee  |  Tomgirl Jeans  |  Nude Strap Heels
Satchel  |  Oversized Sunnies  |  Lips 'eclair'

Having a day off sounds relaxing at first...then I start making a to-do list and quickly realize my day off is going to be spent running errands.  The best errand on the list is a flower run!  Fresh blooms in the house is a must.  Nothing beats walking through the door after a long day of work and see a cheery bouquet of flowers.  Trader Joe's and Horrocks are my top places to go for a flower run.  The selection is great and the flowers usually last for 2 weeks.  For tips on how to keep blooms fresh longer, read this post!

Today happens to be a day off...which means tackling that to-do list before Darin gets home.  So far I survived a spin class, unloaded the dishwasher, cleaned out the fridge, took out the trash, showered, and finished this blog post; all before 8:30!  Hopefully I can stay this productive for a few more hours haha ;)

Photos by Nesbit Photography

Graphic Tee  |  High Waisted Shorts  |  Aviators
Sneakers  |   MK Tote  |  Lips 'MAC Red'

Can you believe that the 4th of July is just over two weeks away?!  I love this time of year and celebrating holidays is a blast.  Being on the lake, boat rides, BBQ's, fireworks, and cocktails.  Today I wanted to share with you a casual July 4th outfit that would be perfect for a gathering or taking a stroll through town and everything in between!  

Shop Hello Fashion (formerly ILY Couture) has an entire collection dedicated to celebrating the U.S. of A.  The graphic tees are my favorite because it really allows you to dress up or down depending on the occasion.  I love this stars & stripes tee in a bold red with white letters plus stripes on the sleeves.  It certainly makes a bold statement!  Don't forget the other outfit I posted with the star tee in blue HERE, another great graphic tee!  Be sure to use the code 'altogetherbeautiful15' for 15% off everything from Shop Hello Fashion. 

What are your plans for the holiday?!  Our’s are still up in the air right now, but let me know if you have anything fun planned!

Photos by Nesbit Photography