Happiest Friday!
Matt and I are so excited to be heading to Maine this morning! As soon as we drop Thomas at flag football practice and Caroline at the bus, we’re off for a birthday weekend getaway—and I cannot wait.
Huge shoutout to Meg of MH Custom Travel for planning the dreamiest itinerary. She truly thinks of every little detail and makes the entire process feel effortless. If you’re planning a trip anytime soon, she’s the best—and she’s offering my readers $75 off her travel planning services if you mention my blog!
You can follow along on Instagram this weekend as we explore and eat all the lobster rolls. But first…let’s get into this week’s Five!
In Case You Missed It
- In my latest weekly newsletter, I’m spilling my thoughts on turning 39, tattooed lips, and all the cozy fall things you’ll want to see.
- My go-to fall cocktail for hosting that you can prep ahead of time, looks so elegant, and always wows guests!
- Nostalgic things from the 90s that make me feel old…but what a FUN trip down memory lane!
- Cozy vibes, the most amazing menu, and all the best fall feels at my Supper Club dinner I recently hosted!
Recipe Spotlight: Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken
I love slow cooker season, and one of our family-favorite crockpot recipes was part of our dinner line-up this week.
Top 5 Reader Favorites
YOUR favorite items from the week!
- For the moms searching high and low for KPop Demon Hunters Halloween costumes.
- These Amazon look-for-less mesh ballet flats that come in lots of colors.
- This fringe pullover sweater that is a steal and so beautiful! I have it in black!
- This stunning dainty diamond necklace that my friend wore to mahjong last week – I was fully expecting her to say it was from a boutique or jeweler, but nope…Amazon! Ordered immediately.
- This velvety burgundy nail color. It is a seriously stunning shade for the season!
1. 1986-87 Siamese Birthday Mahj
McKinsey and I both have September birthdays and a shared love for mahjong, so for the second year in a row, we celebrated with an afternoon of Siamese mahjong, and it was everything we wanted! I hosted at my house, whipped up our favorite lemon martinis, and McKinsey brought our go-to Dilly Chopped Salads.
We played for hours using our birth year mahjong cards (which she gifted me last year and they’re still my favorite) and we exchanged gifts – I surprised her with a set of bam bird cocktail glasses, and she gave me a gorgeous tote that she had monogrammed for all my mahjong gear! We both laughed that, once again, we swapped mahjong-themed birthday gifts.
2. Corn Maze Detour + Goat Walk + Trunk Full of Pumpkins
We spent this week’s teacher work day at Hall Family Farm, and if you haven’t been to their new location yet, you have to go! I took Caroline and 5 of her girlfriends (Thomas rode with a group of boys), and we spent the whole morning soaking up all the fall things.
The girls picked pumpkins, posed for LOTS of group photos, slid down the fruit chute about a hundred times, and braved the 90-minute corn maze (though they tapped out at the emergency exit detour around the 45-minute mark—it was HOT). Meanwhile, the boys were fully committed to the Goat Walk the entire time. (Pro tip: get there and buy your tickets before the Goat Walk opens! The line builds fast, and while kids can stay on the ropes course as long as they want, once they step off, their harness goes to the next kid in line.
We capped off the trip with lots of apple cider donuts, slushies, and a trunk full of pumpkins!
3. The Bougiest Dog Shampoo I’ve Ever Bought
OK, I cannot believe I spent this much on dog shampoo, but hear me out! It smells incredible. Like, I want this as a candle level good. Mabel got her first wash with it this week, and she’s never been softer or more snuggle-able. Totally worth it…especially when she curls up in bed with us at night and smells like she just walked out of a luxury spa.
4. New Fall Planters Are In
Over the weekend, Matt and I gave our back porch planters a little refresh with purple mums and white pansies! The colors are so perfectly fall without going full orange and yellow, and it makes me happy every time I walk out the back door! Now just waiting on some cooler temps…
5. Holiday Cards…Already?
I know it feels early, but we just had family photos taken for another project and I’m so excited they’ll double as our holiday card this year—which means I don’t have to think about it during the busiest part of the season. I’m still narrowing down my favorite card design (currently sitting on 15 contenders), and then I’ll place my order!
We always use Minted—you truly can’t beat the free recipient addressing, luxe paper, and beautiful designs. If you’re planning to order your holiday cards soon (or anything else from Minted), I’ve got a promo code for you: CAROLINA20 for 20% off Minted stationery and gifts. Exclusions apply. Valid through 12/31. The code works for everything from holiday cards and gifts to baby announcements, wedding invites, and more!
September Promo Codes
- Nuuly: Get $30 off your first month’s subscription. Love using this subscription for summer or vacation dresses I wouldn’t normally splurge on.
- Grove: Use code CAROLINACHARM for 25% off order $75+.
- Skin Pharm: My go-to for skin treatments, but my absolute favorite? The Moxi laser. I just finished a series and WOW—it’s completely transformed my skin. My complexion is brighter, smoother, and more even, and I’ve been getting so many compliments! If you’ve been thinking about a treatment to refresh your skin, this one is so worth it. Use code CHRISTINA-322793 at checkout to get $50 off your first visit!
- Middle & Main Mahjong: Use code CAROLINACHARM10 for 10% off anything at Middle & Main Mahjong—I’m obsessed with my sunshine tiles!
- Greenlight Card: The debit card we use for Caroline! If you’re interested in getting a Greenlight Card for your tween or teen, I’ve got a referral link that earns you $30.
- Coco & Eve: I am so obsessed with the Sunny Honey Bali Bronzing Foam. I love the shade dark and it’s honestly the prettiest tan I’ve ever had—super natural, glowy, and even (zero streaks, zero orange vibes). It smells good, gives a little instant glow when you apply, and develops into a deeper, gorgeous bronze over the next few hours. Tip: You must use a mitt—I usually skip it, but trust me, you’ll regret it if you don’t. Use code CHRISMAR15 for 15% off if you wanna try it!
- Dagne Dover: Matt loves his Monaco Garment Duffle for traveling with suits, and I’m a huge fan of my Dakota Backpack and Landan Carryall for travel! Use code CHRISTINA20 for 20% off full price items.
- ShopMy: The affiliate platform I love for linking products. If you’re a creator looking for an affiliate platform, I have a referral link that can help get you in the program!
- Avaline: My favorite Rosé! It’s made with organic grapes and free from unnecessary additives such as sugars, colors, and concentrates. And it tastes delicious – very light and refreshing, not too sweet. Save 15% off with code FALL15.
- Seed: The daily probiotic I’ve been using for several years now! Seed initially stood out to me with their capsule technology which protects the probiotic from stomach acid so it makes it all the way down to your lower small intestine where it provides the greatest benefit.
- Cozy Earth: Use code CE-CAROLINACHARM at checkout for 40% off!
