Plant Lady

I have been to the Naples Botanical Garden several times but this time I got to bring my Grandma with me.

She's always loved plants and the challenge of making them thrive.

So I knew this place would be right up her alley.

There is something new and amazing every time I've been.

I can't help but feel closest to my Father in Heaven when I am among his wondrous creations.

I always think of the Hymn "How Great Thou Art".

The 10 year old tomboy in me would hate to admit it but I don't think I can make it through that song without getting emotional.

Sometimes we get caught up in the wants and superficial things in the world, we forget to keep an attitude of gratitude.

Oh Lord my God

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the worlds

Thy hands have made

I see the stars

I hear the rolling thunder

Thy power throughout

The universe displayed

I will leave you with that and now get back to the photos and memories from that day with Grandma.

This is the gorgeous path that Mike and I took a picture at about a month before he proposed and everyone asked if they were engagement photos. 

I told him about it and we laughed, little did I know he had already talked to my Dad and had the ring being made at that point! 

We heard the gong before we saw it.

A class was on a tour of the gardens and they had sounded the gong, we pretended to look at something until they left and then she ran to bang the gong too.

We're basically little kids who can drive.

Admittedly I did the same thing the first time I saw it.

For as long as I can remember my Grandmother has had cacti and succulents in every available corner of her house.

What can I say but she liked them before they were cool.

One of the coolest parts of the garden is how they have separated it into different regions so it's like a trip around the world for a small admissions fee!

Truth time... I almost fell in trying to take this picture.

The last little garden that you walk through is an orchid paradise with the most interesting orchids I've ever seen.

If you can't tell, I'm a little obsessed with this entire place.

It's my #1 suggestion for anyone who finds themselves in the Naples Fl. area with an hour or two to spare.

I think you will like it even if you aren't a Plant Lady.

xoxo

Piper Arielle

Tried and True

Here's the thing, I'm not a makeup artist or a trained professional I just love makeup.
So here is a peek inside my makeup bag when I'm on the go.

All of the products have been well loved and used as you can see but that's how you know they are good! Right?

For my face makeup I use the Arbonne Intelligence CC cream, It looks like an improved version of your skin without any cake or drying.

 For any blemishes I reach for Maybelline's Instant Age Rewind concealer, I apply with the applicator  and blend with my ring finger.

If I'm in a big hurry I just dot this on any redness and skip the CC cream altogether.

For cheeks I use Loreal Paris true match blush in the shade barely blushing to "contour."
(I use the term lightly)
Sometimes I put a tiny bit on the bridge of my nose for a realistic sun kissed look.
Next I sweep Becca's Luminous Blush in Snapdragon just above and on the apples.

Then on the highpoints of my cheeks I put the tiniest amount of Becca's Shimmering skin perfector in Opal.

I'm combining eyebrows and eyes since I use the middle and last shade in my mini LORAC vintage vixen palette to fill in my brows.

I then put Covergirl natural lash clear mascara gel(it was clear, sorry) on my eyebrows to hold them in place. (I have Mr. Grinch eyebrows)

First step for eyes is priming my lids with TooFaced shadow insurance because my lids are ridiculously oily and crease without it.

I do whatever neutral eye I'm feeling that day with the Urban Decay Naked 3 and Lorac Vintage Vixen palette.

 After lining the upper waterline with Rimmel Exagerate Smoke N' Shine eyeliner in 001Little Black Smokey.

Then I give myself my best version of a "kitten eye" sometimes going in with a stiff straight brush to sharpen it up.

The next step is curling my top lashes and coating them multiple times with the Chanel Le Volume mascara. 

This is by far the longest step for me because despite having curly hair I have VERY straight lashes, luckily this mascara is amazing and keeps my lashes up without having to use a waterproof formula!

Last but not least I carry this little fresh lip balm with a hint of color in it to dab on my lips.

My lips always feel dry and only a few balms work for me so this was a welcome discovery.

This probably seems like a lot to some people and very little to others but I have found what works for me.

Of course this is also the routine I do when I have time, if I'm in a hurry I usually put mascara on and sometimes a hint of blush.

The best part about bringing these essentials with me?
 I can make it a very care free natural "no makeup" look or spend a little bit more time and have a nice going out look!

After all of this is said and done though, makeup is just fun and doesn't make someone beautiful.
Beauty is the way you treat others and the way you learn to love yourself.

xoxo
Piper Arielle

Stars and Stripes

Support, Style and Swim-ability!

This is my current favorite bathing suit and since I've had it since last year I can safely say it's been tested and approved!

Happy Independence day everyone!!!

Mike has to work on the actual holiday so we celebrated early and even did a few fireworks at home, Anubis was not impressed.

Also as I side note... Naples is growing on me.

Swimsuit is Albionfit link to it HERE

Shoes are Jack Rogers in Platinum and can be found HERE

Earrings are from BaubleBar HERE

The hat I stole from my mom... Love you mom! :)

Photography by my dearest husband who I am training slowly but surely! ;)

xoxo

Piper Arielle

Happily Ever After

This is a story about a boy and a girl who fell in in love.
They married in the Orlando, Fl. LDS Temple.
It was almost 5 years to the date when they met for the first time.
 They were sealed for Time and all Eternity on October 15th 2016.
Over 6 months later that girl is finally showing some pictures from that day.


They say rain on your wedding day means good luck, I must be the luckiest girl in the world since it did rain, we were late/took wrong turns getting to the Temple and I was sunburned and sleep deprived.
My Mom, Grandma, Sister and Best Friend stayed up the night before talking about every blushing young bride's nightmare, the wedding night. (We're a close family)
And... I cried.
I ended up staying up past everyone and getting up before everyone the next morning.
Kayla curled my hair as I did my makeup by the window.
My mom made my bouquet in that hotel room as my sister did my Grandma's hair and makeup.
These are the moments I cherish.
Luckily it was all a rush so I didn't have time to lament this huge transition.
 I was looking forward to it but it still scared the heck out of me!
Once we were in the car, that all changed... I felt the way I always have before I ever perform, ride a crazy rollercoaster, climb to a really high place or right before I rip off a wax strip... All at once.
Of course having my GPS say to go one way and my Mom/Driver go in the other direction didn't help to settle me.
We finally made it to the Temple and there he was, the man of my dreams and the one I chose to spend forever with.
We walked into the Temple together holding hands, I was instantly flooded with warmth and relief.
This was going to be the first day of our forever.

*Side note: Megan surprised Mike with those socks as an inside joke because I can't stand bananas.
It was his last chance to repel me, I didn't see them until the day of and as much as I abhor those buggers it made me giggle and as I'm sure you've gathered I married him socks and all!

And I really did feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

So if you haven't already skipped this part, enjoy the pictures!
I cannot thank our good friend Paulette enough for being there and snapping all of these pictures and all of the other helpful things she blessed us with!!!
She's seriously the best!

Almost time for the big reveal.

He didn't know if he could walk to me yet so he just held his own hand, He's the cutest.

I think he'll keep me.

No we didn't have a leaf blower on hand, that was just a gust from the storm you can't really tell is happening.

Of course that lovely rain meant all of Kayla's hard work reverted back to a jungle mess, without the combined efforts of Kayla and Megan I think it would have been swiss braid weather.

I love my Husband but this is possibly my favorite picture of the day, Kaylor blinking and all! 

 He's blowing kisses!!!

My big sister trying to tame my hair since the day I was born!

Also she let me borrow her earrings since I couldn't find mine, they were in the dress bag the entire time...

It's always been two brunettes and a blonde, I'm so glad I have this picture.

Kayla came into my life at a time that I really needed her, before I even knew it, and she's been there ever since.

Without my knowledge Mike wrote a beautiful letter to my parents for our wedding day, this is right after they read it. I married a romantic and I'm not mad about it.

Dad contemplating if anyone will notice if he throws me in the car and drives off... jk, he wouldn't have let me get this far if he didn't approve.

This was my favorite place to be growing up, right in between the best people I knew.

It's a family tradition that Mom makes all of our wedding bouquets, she gathered twigs with air plants on them for a little something unexpected but sentimental, since Mike and I go air plant hunting for her.

We get it from our mamma.

In our family of mostly women, we pride ourselves on being able to have full conversations with our eyes.

Three Generations 

For the benefit of my siblings and cousins, this is Grandma telling me how much I am her favorite! ^_-

할머니 사랑 해요

Wade and Dad celebrating that it was all almost over!
And yes jaizy has on shorts under her dress, her mamma is always prepared!

This is the best and most normal group picture we took! 

My GQ model of a Husband carrying my camera bag for me, be still my heart!!!

And this is completely candid which makes it that much better! 

Remember that rain I talked about?

It went away to reveal a beautiful day, the best day in fact.

I had a special feeling the very first moment we met, I don't necessarily believe in love at first sight, that makes it sound superficial. I do however believe that my soul recognized his somehow.
Of course that does not mean I completely trusted that feeling at first and I did not tell him about this feeling until waaay later! Like engaged later!
After hanging out a couple of times he asked for my number and things progressed in the age old way  of dating. I'm including all of this because I don't want anyone (especially young girls) to think that a special feeling means to throw caution to the wind. After the first month of dating in person it became a long distance relationship, we didn't get married as soon as some people do because we wanted to make sure we really knew each other, long story short as much as I am a romantic I didn't let rose colored glasses block my practicality and my need to always feel and be safe.

And beside's my Dad I feel safest around this guy right here.

Here's a nice realistic shot to breakup all of this romantic stuff.

Mike was looking up a pizza place Kayla told us about because we were all starving.

I think I was still hungry and sleep deprived hence the blank stare.

My niece Jaizy pointed out how funny it was that we went to a nice dinner the night before and the actual day we got married we ate pizza. What can I say, it's my favorite!

Even though we have way more to go, this is the story of how we began our Happily Ever After.

Thank you for sticking around until the end.

If you would like to read our Engagement story I'll put the link here.

 The Proposal

xoxo

Piper Arielle 

Photos by: Paulette Davis 

Floral arrangement by: Nancy Williams

Location: Orlando Florida LDS Temple

Dress: Stella York

Earrings and Hair accessory: Sorrelli