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Carly A. Riordan
a little bit of life, a little bit of style, and everything in between.
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📌 Save this post! Can’t get over the MAGIC that is @backtonature.nj’s Christmas Market during the holidays! 🎄🌟🎅🏻🧣The decor this year is on a new level. If you need to get into the holiday spirit (or pick up speciality gifts or more decorations for your home), 100% recommend making the drive! It’s worth it ❄️

When you don’t actually feel cute but then kind of end up feeling cute because you put a bow in your hair, slipped into a dress that fits, and swiped on your favorite red lipstick 💋 @hillhouse @annmashburn 🎥 by @carterfish, maybe I’ll post the video without music so you can hear her hyping me up, because you can’t imagine the crowd the bore witness to the making of this Reel 🫣

And then there were three ❤️❄️🎄🌟⛸️ Needlepoint stockings are a huge undertaking… they take hours (and hours and hours) of stitching. The final results are more than worth the effort though. These will hang on our mantle every Christmas and I can’t think of anything more special than that. I finished Mike’s stocking at the end of the summer after stitching almost every night for seven months. I am taking a little break and then I’ll start on the baby’s stocking for next Christmas!! 🥹
#needlepointstocking #needlepoint #ndplt

FROM THE ARCHIVES ❄️⛸️🌲some of my past favorite winter looks mostly because I miss real pants and being able to button my coats

This tree feels extra special this year. 🎄💫⛸️❤️🕯️ Jack is fully embracing the magic of Christmas (“kiss miss”) and his enthusiasm is downright contagious!
Not one of my best qualities, but I typically feel immense pressure trying to make things feel extra special and perfect and then I get disappointed when the reality doesn’t live up to my (unrealistic) expectations. I wish I could blame social media for this.... but I know the call is coming from inside the house.
This tree seems perfect to me, though, just the way it is. It was a true group effort getting it here. Another one of my not-so-great qualities is that I’m terrible at asking for help when I need it.... this year, I can’t ignore it though. I needed help, and a lot of it. Mike got every holiday storage box up from the basement (no small feat) and hoisted the into the house and got it up in the stand within minutes (then redid it twice to get the angle of the tree just so); my mom and I took multiple trips to the hardware store and drug store for the “right” colored lights (in case you’re wondering, “bright white” is warm yellow and “warm white” is actually bright white... make it make sense); my mom wrapped the tree in lights a second time when we learned the hard way that when the box says you can’t plug in more than five strands together they mean it; and Jack was there to help and hype us all up to say how “boo-full” the tree and lights are– and keeping us in line by scolding and reminding us that we aren’t allowed to touch the ornaments 🤭
I feel a little pang of sadness that we aren’t celebrating a first Christmas with a baby who was supposed to be here, while also struggling through a third trimester (just feeling physically tired and exhausted), while also cherishing our last Christmas as a family of three, while also getting excited knowing our baby will be here before we know it. Sure, it’s a lot of pressure to put on one single tree, yet here I am. ⭐️

Spent the weekend decking the halls 🎄 the garland is up, the tree is up, the wreaths are up! Fueled by three peppermint mochas, one bag of Milanos peppermint slices, one batch of chocolate chip cookies, and one loaf of zucchini bread… my mom and I got it done 🙏🏻

These boots are TOTALLY made for walking! Taking a spin in @stuartweitzman’s iconic 5050 Bold Boot and feeling like an it girl, who happens to value both fashion and comfort! ⭐️ Take advantage of #StuartWeitzman’s Black Friday sale with an extra 25% off full-price and sale styles with code FORYOU25! (Select exclusions apply; through 11/27) This *rarely* happens!! I’ve linked this exact pair of 5050 Bold Boots in the @shop.ltk app! You can shop the boots and a couple of my other sale picks here #liketkit https://liketk.it/4oWbB #fallfashion #swpartner

These photos are beautiful! It looks like you all had such a great time!
Lauren,
http://www.atouchofsoutherngrace.com/
OMG i love all of this! the nautical setting is oh so great!
http://www.thepdxprepster.blogspot.com
Your hair looks so rough and your face is so washed out in all the pics! You'd think Teen Vogue would've sprung for a hair and makeup team for this spread.
Wow that's rude. Her hair looks awesome and she has porcelain skin. It makes her look real, not "rough" and "washed out"…
You look gorgeous in all of these photos! My best friend from high school and I road tripped to southern california to look at UCLA when we were picking out colleges, its still one of my favorite trips ever!
xo
Tara
shoesillneverhave.blogspot.com
Love these pictures! You and Mackenzie look like you had an awesome time!
-Katherine
http://scallopedandbows.blogspot.ca
This is SO cool! Congrats. And I see some serious goodies in there that I need….
— Alex at Cashmere Kangaroo
You girls look like you had so much fun! Two summers ago, before my best friend moved to New York, we drove up the coast of California from San Diego to Los Angeles and went beach hopping, and then we saw Les Miserables (the live musical, not the movie)! That was probably my favorite road trip ever!
daniellecaliforniaa.blogspot.com
y'all look very pretty in all of these! congrats!
love these photos! you two look great! xo jillian – cornflake dreams
This looks like such a fun trip! I went there last year and absolutely loved it!
Hunter
Prep on a Budget
Looks like a good time! I love road trips, especially when the final destination is a beach!
Ashley
http://allthatglitters.co.nr
Aww this looks so fun. The brown leather pair you're wearing is my favorite.
Kristina does the Internets
That looks like an amazing time!
Madeline | Ring-a-Round a Rosey | Bloglovin’
Looks like it was fun!!
laurenroseprep.blogspot.com
Loving the Sperry-Topsiders! Looks like so much fun!
http://thewayitoftenhappens.blogspot.com/
i love the last picture! looks and sounds like you had a wonderful time 🙂
This is such a cute spread! I love it!
Love all of those Sperrys! Looks like you and Mackenzie had a wonderful time in RI 🙂
Meggie
meggiejuly.blogspot.com
Love the Sperrys!
~Sophia
http://plaidismyfavouritecolour.blogspot.com/
Sperry topsiders are most definitely the way to go!!! I bought mine 4 years ago and they're my go-to casual shoe! I just can't bear to get rid of them. Probably the best shoe purchase I have ever made.
-Erin
http://peachykeen-pk.blogspot.com/
I've only road-tripped with my friends to the beach…which isn't far when I'm at home in Tampa (only about 30 minutes!). I did drive from UF to St. Augustine with my college friends once. That was a fun 2 hour drive each way!
♥Emma, from It's Emma Elise