Madeira Feast

This past weekend the Southcoast hosted one of the biggest cultural gatherings in the country.  I've gone nearly every year since I can remember. Its four days of outdoor eating, drinking, live music and Portuguese entertainment. 

Mostly we go for the socialization. You end up seeing lots of old friends and distant relatives. Lots of people come back home for the weekend. 

I skipped my ten year reunion this weekend...I figured I'd see everyone I wanted to at the feast. 

Thursday was a rainy night but that didn't stop us from going to see Everclear as they opened up the feast. There was still a ton of people there. 

 Friday we went and met up with some friends. The weather was much more cooperative and I took home a fabulous cacoila sandwich for a late night snack. 

Saturday was by far my favorite night. We had some college friends from out of town stay with us and so naturally we partied until the wee hours of the morning. I also met up with some lovely ladies from work to celebrate a friends birthday. Its so nice to let loose with your co-workers especially when you work in a naturally high stress environment. 

The food is to die for. I was such a glutton this weekend. At one end of the feast grounds they have a pit that you can barbecue over in a traditional Madeira style. This is my dads favorite part and so we spent some time Sunday afternoon grilling and then watched the parade as we stood in line for some malassadas (aka fried dough). 

All in all my favorite weekend of the year, by far, every year. I'm still recovering and will probably continue to recover for a couple of weeks. 

(If you've ever drank Madeira wine...you know what I mean.)

Next year will be the 100th celebration...can't wait!

What did you do this weekend?
Tell me, tell me! 
I'm working a double tomorrow and I'd love to catch up!

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Sheer Dots

Top: Old Navy
Tank: Target
Pants: Target (so old)
Boots: via PayHalf
Bracelets: Alex and Ani
Necklace: Tiffany's

This is one of my favorite shirts right now, however I hate that I am constantly cutting loose threads from the seams after every wash. Regardless, it matches everything and pairs perfectly with these jeans and boots for a casual night at the mall for dinner and browsing. 

The neon belt is required to offset the neutral colors in the rest of the outfit. I loved wearing these jeans that I re-discovered while spring cleaning. 

Exceeeept- the fly would not stay up! I had to run to Target for an emergency safety pin stash! I'm loving the worn in feel of the jeans but I might have to say ~sayonara!~ because my name is not Lindsay Lohan- I do not want to show you my skivvies. 

I've also noticed a big trend in my closet- sheer shirts. I've been collecting them since the fall I guess.

Do you have a trend that you're not consciously aware that you're drawn to?

Tell me what it is in the comments!

& don't forget to follow! 

(I've made it easy in the top right corner!)

Spring in my Step...

I tried my hand at outdoor pics this week. Who doesn't love a little fresh air style?

I've been feeling very casual lately. ...like so casual I don't mind that I'm wearing scrubs...even when I'm not at work. {lazybum}

Anyway..I'm trying to capitalize on the nice weather when I can. I just LOVE when SJL grills...nothing is better than grilled chicken & veggies with cold 'beahs'. Seems like every day off I have involves "April showers".  So I decided to put a little spring in my step today with my fave warm weather wedges and pants...for a trip to the grocery store. SJL thought I was nuts putting in so much effort to go grocery shopping at a place where PJs and rollers are the norm. Think... peopleofwalmart.com

I was definitely out of place, but I didn't care cause I felt good. And I wanted to dress up...like I said...I've been feeling too casual lately. 

Sunnies: Vegas gift shop (I miss Vegas!!)
Pants: LC via Kohls
Wedges: Can't remember...maybe Dots?
Tank: Old Navy
Sweater: Old Navy clearance!
Necklace: Old Navy (recently! Check your stores!)

Sock buns and $1 iced coffees are my current FAVORITES!!


What are you doing to celebrate spring?
Don't forget to follow- Links are all up there on the right! I'm always finding new blogs to read and I promise to return the favor!

xox

Just Breathe...

Last week was rough for me, personally and professionally. I had a lot of thinking to do and some big decisions to make. 
Peperes procedure went well, I want to thank everyone , from the bottom of my heart, for their thoughts and prayers. 

Otherwise, in true Meg fashion, I didn't put any effort into life. 

My outfits were sweats and over-sized sweaters.  

My hair was never done. 

I avoided socializing, in the real world and in the blog world. 

And I ate every.single.one of my feelings. 

But I think I'm okay now. I think. 

As always, I'm a work in progress. I've got a little more perspective and I think a lot of that has to do with catching up on some blogs. 

This morning I woke up to the most beautiful of Sunday mornings with a determination that I will turn my frown upside down. I brewed up some coffee and I spent over two hours (what my battery life allowed, because I could have gone longer...trust) just perusing the blog world.

I came across some posts about the struggles of life and such. 

Reading these stories made me realize:

**its ok** 

Everything will work out.

Its not the end of the world.

Sacrifices have to be made sometimes in order for life to come together.

And most importantly...

I don't have to please everyone. 

Just ME.

So, with all that love and inspiration (thank you friends, old & new) I put in an effort on the blog again.

 You'll notice a few changes. 

First, I'm proud to announce that PolkaDots&Lace now has a Facebook page!

Go check it out!

And please ya'll, use the Like button I put on the right...it took me for.ev.er to figure that ish out.

Also thanks to Code it Pretty I am now the proud owner of a blog button!

Its in the top right corner and I loooove it! I'd be absolutely tickled to swap with anyone...just shoot me an email @ mleeo5738@gmail.com

And please go check out Marie's site shes got some great ideas and in simple terms so that gals like me (ya know...the kinda girl that says what the eff is a code and why do I need it to blog?!) can get it right the first time. 

Also note that I'm starting to venture into the world of sponsoring. 

If anyone has any advice for me, please, I'm all ears. 

For now, lets just swap buttons... Til I know what I'm doing! ;)

Until next time loves...

 ~Meg~

 

Happy Easter!!

I do hope everyone has a wonderful day full of family and fun and good food and laughs. 

I'd like to take a moment to wish you all a wonderful spring, and also to ask a favor. 

My dear Pepere is having heart surgery tomorrow, his second in a year. 

If you could, say a prayer or two for good health and blessings for a quick recovery. 

I may not be of too much faith, but I do believe in the power of prayer. 

Thank you all. 

xoxo

Meg

{ P.S. If anyone needs a prayer, I came across this lovely woman Gayle, who has a prayer feature on her blog. Its so very refreshing and generous, and her blog is a great read as well. You should all go check her out. =) }

Addicted

You guys, I think I have an addictive personality. 

Like, a secret one. 

I mean, I'm not hooked on things that are bad for me. 

(Unless you count shopping, shoes, nail polishes, lip gloss, Facebook...)

and now...blogs.

 I can't stop reading blogs. I feel like I'm connected to so many of you out there. There are endless blogs about everything under the sun! I can't stop! 

I hop on bloglovin' to check out whats new. I come across a giveaway or a new sponsor link, an award post or a link up then I can't stop opening new tabs! My little bitty Dell can't keep up! It starts twitching and giving me the Chrome has frozen face. You know the one:

He's dead Jim.

I end up falling for these bloggers and add them to bloglovin' and then I never finish my bloglovin list. Seriously, I've been working on this for about a week now. 

Then my blog suffers cause I'm too busy trying to keep up with everyone elses!

So my apologies for the sporadic posts. 

In addition to keeping me busy, these blogs have inspired me to think a little outside the box. 

Its no secret that I love clothes, and shopping and then being inspired and putting it all together. But I also love other things! 

• Baking- I became known in the fam (& at work) for trying new sweet recipes and now that SL (my dear fiance) has taken over the cooking in the house its up to me to make the sweets. Hes not big on eating sweets so I try to spread them around so I don't eat them all my self. 
• Walking with my dog. I wanted us to do a couple of 5ks and a Breed Awareness walk last year but scheduling would not allow. This year I made a pact with myself to make sure we participated. I love seeing her interact with other dogs. I also like 5ks for myself and I hope with more motivation and tenacity that I'll make running my new (addicting) hobby. I'd love to travel to races as my excuse to see more of the world!)
• Date nights and girls nights. With basically opposite schedules, kids and what not we don't get a lot of time to hang out. When we do I want it to be so much fun we laugh and smile about it until the next GNO/GNI. And date nights- well we are very much home- bodies but I love the occasional night at our fave local spot or a night at the casino. Its a chance to re-connect and put in a little effort that sometimes lacks. Its hard when you're with someone for six years to not fall into a familiar routine. KEEP THE SPARK ALIVE! 
• DIYs. I started some this past winter- I made some seasonal wreaths & other various items from Pinterest & I'd like to throw some projects in here and there. 
• Reading. I've always wanted to join a book club- I'd love to meet new people with similar reading interests and I'd love to try new genres. I'm kinda stuck in romantic Nicholas Sparks, Nora Roberts-ville, and while I do read other books (Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Twilight, 50 shades) they're mostly best sellers. I'd like to return to the classics, the books that I would have hated being forced to read in high school but now that its been ten years (ten freakin years!?!) I think I'll have more of an appreciation for them.
• TV. Not so much reality TV- Jersey Shore ruined that for me (but I do like the occasional episode of RHOBH or Big Rich Texas and more recently Wicked Single). I'm talking the heavy hitters- Mad Men, Breaking Bad, Shameless, Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Sons of Anarchy, True Blood, Nurse Jackie, Justified, Scandal, Nashville, The Americans, Newsroom (to name just a few). This is the kind of TV I cannot live without. SL and I carve out time (usually while we eat dinner...bad habit? don't care) every week to watch these shows so we can stay current. We have whole conversations about characters and events that happen. It can actually be insightful and its fun when we try to guess what will happen next week.

My point of this post, I guess, is to say I have a desire to do a little bit of everything. I want to say that I've tried and failed or succeeded. I become addicted to whatever it is that tickles my fancy this week and I'd like to chronicle all the paths on this journey of life. 

So, expect a few changes, seeing a few different things. 

Hope you stick around and please please, follow on Bloglovin....become addicted like me!!!

Hehe

And heres a favorite song of mine. Love me some Kelly. 

Work It Out for the Weekend

It is with a heavy heart that I report today my favorite Zumba instructor has cut back her hours to one class a week. 

Moment of silence please.

I completely understand where shes coming from- teaching people to be happy and healthy is not her only job- shes a nurse a mother a sister a friend and whatever else. 

(While I'm thinking of it props to working moms everywhere!! I have a fiance and a couple of fur babies and I get overwhelmed by all the responsibilities I attempt to maintain- never mind trying to balance work and a marriage and raising babies. 

I R-E-S-P-E-C-T what you do daily!! APPLAUSE!!)

Anyway, now I'm at a crossroads- should I continue with random gym instructors? Or should I follow DVDs at home?

(note: I do pay for the gym...and use it....sometimes.)

Has anyone tried the Zumba DVDs at home? 

What did you think? 

What are your class vs at-home thoughts?

I am a full on Zumba addict- I've even toyed with the idea of becoming an instructor- and then I come back to reality. 

Whats your favorite class or home DVD?

Any suggestions on something new I should try?

I love all of your thoughts and comments. I'm tickled pink when I see that ya'll are actually reading!! Ask my fiance- I pretty much have a little jig going on when I see a new comment. 

Maybe one day you'll get to see it. But for now:

trust me- the squats- worth it.