Writings and Worship

Posts and articles from writingsandworship.com 

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Ahhh, it’s finally fall. Or well, for some of you. It’s still hot here in OK. But it is coming, I can feel it! With fall now upon us, I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my personal “fall trends.” Who knows if they are the current or correct fashion and beauty trends but they are my personal fall beauty essentials.

Fall always means certain things for me: gorgeous leaves, PSL all the time, and all these beauty/fashion essentials. I am a creature of habit, so I’m sure these will be my essentials for many years-there is just something so classic about a berry lip, bootie, and scarf combo. I’m sure most of you agree!

With all that being said, let’s get into my “Must-have fall beauty essentials.” This also includes some fashion too!

1. Booties for days  

Ya’ll, I am kinda obsessed with booties for the fall season. I have a mix of wedges, heels, and flats-pretty much a pair for every occasion. If I could, I would buy every pair of booties I loved, which would be a lot of pairs. I love ones with fringe, suede, leather, etc you name it and I love it! Booties will always be a classic staple in my fashion and beauty essentials for fall!

2. Berry lips (are you surprised?)

If you’ve been around W&W for the last few weeks you’ll know how obsessed & excited I am for deep berry lips this fall! Whether it’s matte or glossy or deep or vampy, I’m all in!

I’ll be sharing a new post coming soon with my top lippies for fall so I won’t go into all those details right now! But I will say I love purple berry lippies as well as red berry lippies-it’s all just perfect for fall! Look at my post about my favorite Lipsense color for this fall! 

3. Beanies of all kinds!

Last fall/winter I fell in love with beanies, which was something that I never really wore before then. I’ve already bought 4 for this season plus my old ones and I cannot wait for it to be cooler.

I love crocheted ones, ones with pom poms, and ones that have embellishments on it. I picked a beautiful deep burgundy colored pom pom beanie from the store Five Below for $5! That store had many different beanies and I’ll probably go back for more. Also, I love wearing them because I can wear my hair straight, curly, or wavy! So many fast options. Here’s a few examples of the ones I’m loving from last year:

Make sure you follow my Instagram to see all the new ones for this season!

4. Deep toned nails 

Just like my lips, I love deep toned colors for my nails and toenails during the fall. Whether it’s wine, black, grey, purple, you name it and it’ll be on my nails this fall. It’s such a classic look in my eyes and I love that’s it’s a trendy essential. I love any kind of fall colored nails and Essie & Wet n Wild have some great colors to offer! What is your favorite color to wear on your nails for fall?

5. Scarves (preferably fringe or blanket)

I am very hot-natured so that scarves are a bit of a win & lose situation. I love them so much but I am also usually so hot that I can’t wear them for very long. No matter the problems, I love scarves of all kinds. I am a big fan of fringe infinity scarves or blanket scarves. I buy my scarves at so many different places: Walmart, Charming Charlies, Five Below, Wish, and any random place I find one I love! Here is one of my favorite blanket scarves:

What is on your fall beauty essential list? Let me know! I’d love some new suggestions! XO

Must-have fall beauty essentials Ahhh, it's finally fall. Or well, for some of you. It's still hot here in OK. But it is coming, I can feel it!

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On a rainy Sunday, I traveled to a little town in north Oklahoma to snuggle the cutest little dude. At a week and a half old, Baby B was still sleepy and solemn as we took our time taking his pictures.

There’s nothing sweeter than a newborn babe; their tiny toes, their soft skin, and their iconic “baby smell.” Baby B loved to be swaddled, held, and definitely NOT on his tummy. The joy of newborn sessions are none of them are the same. You can have all these poses and ideas but if the newborn doesn’t want it, you improvise.

Every baby is special, but B holds a special place in our hearts because he was sent from heaven by his siblings that didn’t get any time on earth with us. He is God’s redemption and fulfillment in baby form.

B’s Newborn Session 9.17.17 On a rainy Sunday, I traveled to a little town in north Oklahoma to snuggle the cutest little dude.

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Influenster, you’ve done it again! I am always thrilled, humbled, and excited when I get a new Voxbox from Influenster! I just received the latest BECCA box and wanted to share my thoughts about it! 

Normally today is Worship Wednesday but I am switching it up to share this amazing product. Friday will be a “Worship Wednesday” post! But until then, lets get started talking about this lovely primer that Influenster sent me.

I have never tried any BECCA products but have always wanted to; so when I received word that I was getting this primer to try and review–I was thrilled. BECCA is a great high end brand that I would consider middle road of high end prices. I received the BECCA Velvet Blurring Primer Perfecting Base (say that 5 times fast). This primer retails for $38 at Sephora and Ulta. Here are a few incredible facts about this primer:

good for all skin types including sensitive skin

doesn’t contain parabens, sulfates, or Phthalates

liquid to powder forumla

diminishes signs of pores, fine lines, and imperfections 

makes for a long lasting, air-brushed complexion

oil free but hydrating 

I love the feel of this on my skin, it is a silky texture that applies smoothly and clear. I was very nervous at the beginning because of the color-it’s an orange toned foundation color but it applies clear with no color visible.

Y’all. It’s got a pump! You know how much I love a product with a pump. I was already loving it from that moment on. Anyway, I’ve worn it for a week or more and can honestly say I love how it feels. Foundation blends well on top of it and it really does “blur” pores. I can’t say I’ve seen it make my makeup last an overly lon amount of time but it’s as good as most. 

I would honestly just wear it for the fact of how it feels on my skin during application. It makes my face feel refreshed and ready or the day. I’m anxious to see how it continues to wear and if I see a difference in my makeup but so far I’m loving it! 

Have you tried this primer? If not, what’s your go-to primer?? Let me know! 

BECCA Velvet Blurring Primer // Influenster Influenster, you've done it again! I am always thrilled, humbled, and excited when I get a new Voxbox from Influenster!

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L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Foundation Review || love it or hate it? 

Welcome to a beautiful Makeup Monday friends! How are you starting your week off?? I am hard at work editing a newborn session that I’ll be sharing later this week! Today is a fun post for y’all! 

Product review alert! Have you heard of this foundation? It’s the L.A. Girl Pro Coverage liquid foundation and its $8.99 at Ulta. I picked it up a while ago and I’m finally ready to tell my thoughts on…

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Why do I blog? 

Write a post, create graphics, reply to brands, post on Instagram, post on twitter, reply to other bloggers social media, post on Facebook, read other blogs, write tomorrow’s post, follow new people, like tons of others Instagram pictures, pray my numbers increase, constantly connect with people, and brainstorm more posts. Then turn around and do it all again tomorrow. 

Blogging isn’t for the…

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Worship songs I can't get enough of

Worship songs I can’t get enough of

It’s been a while since I shared some of the worship songs that I have been listening to. I recently found a few new favorites that God is really using in my life. I am always amazed at how God can use worship songs to comfort my heart and show me where I need to work on.

Does anyone else love worship music? I do and I am always looking for new songs to sing. My heart will always love worship…

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*I received these products complimentary for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

SoapBox Soaps joins to of my favorite things together in one company: personal care products and giving back. Unlike many companies, SoapBox Soaps has an overall humanitarian purpose behind their mission. It’s simple: buy a soap, give a soap. There is nothing easier than this people! The #soapequalshope is the drive behind their company. I want to share a little about the company and give you a little review of what I was sent.

For every product sold, SoapBox Soaps gives a bar of soap to a person in need in both the US and overseas. I love companies that have purpose to their business; other than just making as much money as possible. SoapBox Soaps saw a need and continues to try and fill it. They are sending soaps to Liberia, Uganda, India, Haiti, and many more places. Their much more than soap, they are working to help the world. Their motto is “Stand for something” and this is an incredible way to both indulge in great products and help people in need.

SoapBox Soaps sells a little of everything to get you clean and smelling incredible: bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, body washes, and liquid hand soaps. I was thrilled when they contacted me about testing these products! Here are few facts about these incredible soaps:

paraben and chemical free

all natural 

use of ingredients like: shea butter, coconut oil, citrus, blue iris, argan oil, tea tree, and peach rose

NEVER tested on animals and vegan

made using lyle 

“natural and thoughtful”

Over 2 million bars donated

I was sent some incredible products I have to share with everyone! I was sent: Citrus & Peach Rose Reviving Moisture Bar Soap, Bamboo Strength & Body Shampoo & Conditioner, Sea Minerals & Blue Iris Gentle Moisture Body Wash, and Vanilla & Lily Blossom Nourishing Moisture Liquid Hand Soap. 

These soaps and products are high quality, natural, and meaningful. Each ingredient is carefully selected for best use and smell. I would have never thought of some of the scents they have came up with but they compliment each other so well. I love that they smell natural while still smelling incredible and inviting! I honestly have nothing but good and amazing things to say about these soaps and this company.

I must say that these are some of the best soaps I have used in a long time. They feel great on the skin, they lather well, and gives me joy that I can help others at the same time. Each scent/soap has its own amazing benefits. The bamboo shampoo/conditioner helps lock in moisture and builds strength & body into your hair. The citrus & peach rose hand soap has dual hydration to leave your hands silky and soft. The vanilla & lily blossom liquid hand soap is packed full on B-vitamins to get your hands clean and moisturized. Lastly, the sea mineral & blue iris body wash is a natural detoxifier to make skin feel refreshed.

All of these liquid products are 16 oz and the bar is 5 oz. Soapbox Soaps makes shopping easy! You can buy separately or buy in a bundle. The prices are incredible: all products are under $8 and the bundles right under $30. For as high quality and natural as these products are…the prices are just as good! I plan on purchasing more when I get done with these they have sent me.

There is something about knowing that your purchase will help someone that makes it just that much special. This soap brings HOPE!  Even more exciting is that SoapBox Soaps is quickly approaching their 3 millionth donation! 

  SoapBox Soaps has graciously offered my readers an exclusive 10% off your purchase AND double donation credit. That means that you will recieve 10% off your purchase AND they will donate 2 bars of soap for every 1 product sold to celebrate the approach of 3M donations. 

Use promo code hilarySbS3M 

Remember soap = hope

SoapBox Soaps Review + Discount Code *I received these products complimentary for testing purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own* SoapBox Soaps…

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Buying Kate Spade on a Budget

Buying Kate Spade on a Budget

Kate Spade. My holy grail designer. My guilty pleasure. But lets be honest, I definitely do not have the money to buy everything I want and definitely not things full price. While Kate Spade is expensive, it is very high quality. I have never had any problems with any of my bags breaking or any problems at all. So far I have: a laptop case, a wallet, a few phone cases, and a couple of bags. And…

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In a small oil town in Oklahoma, a sweet little baby boy was brought into this world. A head full of beautiful dark hair, ten toes, ten fingers, and nothing but perfection. A momma and daddy full of joy and the best big brothers a little guy could ask for.

There is nothing sweeter than a newborn baby. Their smell, their skin, and the look of pure happiness in the momma’s eyes. Baby B was 9 pounds of pure cuteness and I’m sure that the pictures will show that.

Fresh 48 // Baby B In a small oil town in Oklahoma, a sweet little baby boy was brought into this world.

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5 Tips for New Photographers

5 Tips for New Photographers

Let me start by saying, I am still a new photographer. I still consider myself an amateur making my way through this hobby. I’m almost completely self-taught but I am researching and working to become better and better at this hobby of mine. While I am still learning, I wanted to share a few pieces of advice that I have learned so far.

I firmly believe that bloggers and creators should help other…

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From the archives: My Testimony 

Hello friends! Today I wanted to share my testimony with ya’ll and share a bit of what God has done in my life.

I grew up in a Christian home, and was blessed with believing parents and grandparents. From the beginning, church and Jesus were instilled in me. At the age of 6, I walked down the aisle by myself and told my pastor I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart. I was ushered back to talk over…

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6 tips for flawless makeup 

Spoiler alert, I’m no makeup artist. But I am a makeup junkie, YouTube tutorial watching kind of girl. Over the last few years I’ve learned so many things about makeup that I never knew!

I now know how to contour, I fill in my brows, and I wear winged liner…stuff I didn’t even know about in my high school years! So while I’m no professional, I’m an always learning amateur with my own thoughts and…

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Fall Bucket List 2017

Fall Bucket List 2017

Fall. Sweaters, scarves, booties, cardigans, beanies, hot chocolate, fires, leaves, pumpkins….all my favorite things. I want to celebrate the beginning of September with all the things I want to accomplish this fall. Do you ever have a bucket list for a season? Each season seems to have its own specific activities so I wanted to share my favorite for fall.

Today is all about my Fall Bucket List!…

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*I received this product complimentary for testing purposes. All thoughts and feelings are my own.*

Fall Lips. It’s about time to switch over your bright pinks and corals for deep wines and berries. I have a love for all seasons but I am really looking forward to fall lips because of one thing: Lipsense!

I love dark, vampy, deep colors but I am always scared to wear them because of the mess. It is honestly hard to miss a smudge of deep purple on your teeth ladies, and with Lipsense, I don’t have that problem.

Today I wanted to share my thoughts about it, Lipsense in general, and how you can get ready for fall lips with Lipsense. I have partnered with Gina from Gina’s Glamorous Gals, who is a Lipsense Distributor, to bring you an exclusive coupon too! I was sent the shade “Berry” to test and review for ya’ll! I will be breaking the post into three sections for easy reading: Overall, Berry, and Prepping for Fall. The coupon will be at the end, so keep reading!

Overall

If you have never heard of Lipsense, then you are definitely missing out. I really, truly believed that it would be a complete gimmick product and would be useless…I was wrong. Lipsense claims to be smudge proof, kiss proof, water proof, and long lasting.  It is lead free, vegan, and gluten-free. You must wear a Lipsense gloss with every color to lock in the color on your lips. Here is how to apply:

Step 1– Make sure your lips are clean and void of any other product

Step 2– Apply color coats (shake before using). Each coat should be applied thinly and left for 5-10 seconds to dry before applying another. Make sure you move the applicator in one direction.

Step 3– After allowing the third layer to dry for a few seconds, apply gloss all over lips and continue to gloss throughout the day!

 Here are some of my thoughts about Lipsense: 

GLOSS IS THE KEY! At first I was really unhappy with Lipsense because mine really came off of my inner lips and feathered. I was so frustrated because it only lasted a few hours instead of the 18 that is claimed. The key is to keep glossing and that is something I didn’t understand at first! The gloss holds the color there and you must keep applying it through the day!

Beware, if you have dry lips…you’re more likely to have color come off…at least in my case. Because I have extremely dry lips by the end of the day (sometimes just a few hours) I could rub off the color with my finger. But if I keep my lips moisturized and avoid letting them get dry…my Lipsense works great!

Love it for what it is for you. By that I mean, if it works for 18 hours for you- awesome! If it gets me through an interview, church, or a date with no smudges or worrying about if its on my teeth- I’m sold! I love Lipsense for what it does for me and honestly it is much longer than any other lip product I have ever used.

Berry

I was so honored when Gina sent me Berry to review. It is by far one of my favorite fall shades from Lipsense. I am already in love with this color! It is a beautiful deep berry color but still very wearable! I love deep tones that aren’t too vampy or scary for my taste. Below is a picture right after application and a picture of a few hours after wear: 

Right after application with glossy gloss

This is after eating and about 3 hours after application- with NO gloss re-appy

Prepping for Fall

Gina has some great fall colors she is ready to ship you! The cost of a color is $25 and for the amount of product you get…that’s a steal. You know I wouldn’t lie to you, the $25 is totally worth it.

Lipsense has something for everyone: nudes, pinks, reds, browns, and berries. There are many, many colors for fall to pick from. I suggest: Berry, Mulled Wine, Bella, Plum, Nude, Sheer Berry, and Beige Champagne…just to name a few! Prep for you fall wardrobe and purchase a few good colors from Lipsense to compliment your style this season.

If you are a girl that likes to stick to the same lip, splurge on a Lipsense this coming season! A start of a new season is always a opportunity to try something new, and Lipsense might be for you! If you are looking for a long-wear lippie–look no further. I recommend starting your fall out with a great staple color! I know I sound like a marketing ad but it is because I honestly love these products so much. If you follow me on social media, you will be seeing a LOT of Berry! I mean, look at it!?

Gina is offering my readers an exclusive offer! If you mention “BERRY” when you buy something, you will receive 10% off your purchase! 

Also, for September only, you can get 50% off your order with a wholesale makeup membership! If you are looking to start a Lipsense business, this is the time to do it! Contact Gina ASAP! 

To order: 

Visit her Lipsense website 

Contact her on Facebook or Instagram

For help picking a color, seeing what is ready to ship, and getting that awesome DEAL make sure you contact Gina directly. She would love to answer any questions and explain things probably better than I can!

“All unauthorized use of this blog post or pictures is strictly prohibited. These posts may not be copied or posted other places without the writers knowledge and consent.”

Prepping for Fall Lips with Lipsense // Sponsored *I received this product complimentary for testing purposes. All thoughts and feelings are my own.* Fall Lips.

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7 verses for the anxious

7 verses for the anxious

The Word of God is our comfort, our guide, and sharper than a two-edged sword. We must hid the Word in our hearts and cling to its promises. There is nothing more satisfying in this world than the Word of God. Scripture often takes a back seat in our lives, but it is our help against Satan’s attacks and this worlds negativity.

Lately, I have been slacking on memorizing Scripture. In today’s…

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*I received this product complimentary for testing purposes; all thoughts and opinions are my own*

Hello friends and readers of W&W! I am here sharing a fun new phone case company I am working with today! Mascheri is a great company bringing you affordable and protective cases for your phones.

If you are like me, you need a case that is equally as protective as it is cute and stylish. I love fun cases but I am known for dropping and shattering my phone case. Mascheri honestly gives me the best of both worlds. I was sent an iPhone 6s Zen Series phone case for testing purposes—and I am in love with it!

The zen series case I received is the clear case with white henna, floral designs on the back of the case. I love the classic look of the white in contrast with my gold phone. It is simplistic but still cute and fun! Here is a rundown of a few things I love about the case:

highly protective with strong material

scratch resistant and smear/peel proof design 

slim and lightweight feel

high bumpers on side for extra protection of screen

easy to put on and take off 

  These cases sell on amazon for $12.99 and free shipping with prime. They have many different sizes for various phones: iPhone 6/6s, iPhone 6 plus/6s plus, Galaxy S8, iPhone 7/7 plus, etc. They are all clear with the white henna design. I love how the design compliments the color of your phone as well!

The design reminds me of a dream-catcher or all the fun henna designs I have received by the beach. The design also compliments any season, so it is a fully functioning and useful case all year round. I must admit I love how it feels in my hand, it is slim but protective! Here are my ratings for the phone:

Overall – 5/5

Protection – 5/5 

Scratch resistant – 5/5

Cost – 5/5

I was also kindly sent 2 extra phone cases for a GIVEAWAY! I will be doing a giveaway this week on my FACEBOOK and TWITTER  so make sure you are following me! Once they giveaway is live I will post the direct links below.

Once again, make sure you are following Mascheri and go buy you one of these incredible cases on Amazon.

Use coupon code “MAS15OFF” for 15% off your purchase! 

Mascheri iPhone Case Review + Giveaway *I received this product complimentary for testing purposes; all thoughts and opinions are my own* Hello friends and readers of W&W!

[writingsandworship]

Welcome back to another day here at W&W! I say this every month but I cannot believe that it is already about to be another month. This year is both flying and dragging by in its own ways. I am extremely excited about today’s monthly favorites because I tried many new things and have loved them enough to share them with you today.

Hair, beauty, and makeup will be heavy in this favorites! If you didn’t know, I colored my hair into a blonde ombre so I have been trying some great products to martian my healthy hair status even after the bleach. Here is a look at my hair if you haven’t seen it!

Naturals Royal Honey & Kalahari Melon Repair and Protect Leave-in Conditioner by Not Your Mothers ($8.99)

I believe this might become a holy grail product, ya’ll. I wanted to find something to nourish my hair now that I had bleached it. I have always had really healthy hair and I wanted to maintain that. I also have extremely thick hair that tangles at the drop of a hat hat and I have dry scalp….SO I needed some extra conditioning without using a cream- in comes this product. I love this because it detangles and nourishes my hair. I picked this product because it claims to both repair and protect hair which was exactly what I needed. The smell of this leave-in conditioner is also incredible! It’s one of the few hair products that makes my hair actually stay smelling good and like the product itself. I use this after I wash my hair and towel dry it some.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Raspberry ($26.00)

I know, its a steep price for a small lip oil. I was really hesitant to try it and I honestly only did because it was Ulta’s big sale and they were only $15. However, when I run out, I will buy the full price because this stuff is dreamy. Zoella, the UK vlogger, speaks highly of this oil and I finally caved and got one! I use it almost daily, usually at night, and sometimes just out and about. It gives the lips just a touch of color and shine but the real benefits are what it does to your lips. The oil, while very thick and luscious, isn’t tacky or overly sticky. It also has impressive staying power! It’ll last quite awhile on my lips. The applicator is a typical doe-foot but it is bigger in size and much softer than most applicators. It comes in a few colors and smells….go get you some girls!

Aussie Color Mate Shampoo ($4.49)

I don’t spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner. I don’t use the cheapest, but I usually use Garnier, OGX, and recently Aussie. I was looking for a good and affordable color treated shampoo and I stumbled upon this one. My first and foremost biggest praise is that it has a PUMP! Anyone agree that pumps are the best thing for beauty products? So far this shampoo is working great. It really lathers up and I can tell my hair really gets clean. Do you know what I mean? That feeling that the shampoo is just doing its work? Well this does! I am looking forward to trying the conditioner as well.

Beat the Heat Thermal Shield Spray by Not Your Mothers ($2.99)

I wasn’t sure I would include this, because at first I really wasn’t happy about it. I will say my biggest con of this product is that the spray seems really harsh and pretty wet. But when I learned to spray it very far away and softer, I seemed to like the product much more. It did seem to protect my hair from the heat without making it crispy or really oily. I will just advise that you use a light hand and from far away!

Dandelion Brightening Baby Pink Mini Blush by Benefit ($15.00)

I purchased this a while back and mentioned it in my Makeup Haul post. I honestly wasn’t sure again if I would like it; the color looks extremely pale in pan. However, when you apply it, the blush is a beautiful soft pink color. The smell of the product is pretty awesome too! I was pleasantly surprised about this blush and I am planning to get the bigger version sometimes soon. If you like soft and light blushes, I recommend this one for sure.

e.l.f Smudge Pot in Crusin’ Chic ($3.00)

I can’t help but mention this again! Ya’ll know I am obsessed with these smudge pots. I purchased this shade in the same makeup haul I got the blush in and have used it allllllllllll the time (not even exaggerating). I use this on its own all over the lid, as a base, and just add some things on top of it to dress it up a little. I love this nude color because it is so versatile. I highly suggest you get it if you love easy, great makeup looks. They are so inexpensive and easy to use and work with on the eyes.

Madame Secretary

This last month my mom and I have started watching Madame Secretary on Netflix. I never caught it live so I was so happy when the first three seasons came on Netflix! I love this show because it shows a bit of what I could have as a job: speech writer, press secretary, etc. I love seeing “behind the scenes” of things in real life. I highly recommend this show to anyone who loves government dramas.

“All unauthorized use of this blog post or pictures is strictly prohibited. These posts may not be copied or posted other places without the writers knowledge and consent.”

August Favorites 2017 Welcome back to another day here at W&W! I say this every month but I cannot believe that it is already about to be another month.