Medicine & Manicures

Wedding Wednesday: The Bachelorette Party

Happy Thanksgiving eve to all! I can’t believe that we’re officially about to start the “holiday season” – where has 2015 gone?!? Can we also talk about how Ryan & I have been engaged for almost a year? Crazy!!


Anyway, for today’s wedding Wednesday, we’re talking bachelorette parties and I need your advice. I don’t know if I’ve officially announced it on here, but my bachelorette party will be taking place in… Las Vegas!!


Excited is an understatement. This will be my first time visiting Sin City and I probably need to start training for this weekend like yesterday. There’s so much I want to see and do and from what I hear… I won’t be doing much sleeping.


To all my blogger friends that have ever been to Vegas, I need your help. I would love to hear any and all recommendations that you would like to offer up for our visit. We are staying at Aria and plan to see a show, eat some delicious food, hop to a club or two, and do a little gambling of course! Oh, and a pool party too! I’m also making it a point to ride that rollercoaster that’s on top of the Stratosphere building… that is, if anyone will do it with me.


What are some hot spots to hit? Any pool parties to recommend? What are some amazing restaurants or ones to avoid? What was your favorite show to see? Any tips or tricks on navigating Vegas would be highly appreciated. I seriously can’t wait ’til this epic girls weekend!!


I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and make sure to check back Friday for lots of holiday sales you won’t want to miss! And if you haven’t already entered, be sure to check out the $325 Nordstrom gift card giveaway… only a few hours left. Enjoy your turkey day 🙂



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Body Worlds is Back in Charlotte!







Last Thursday I got the opportunity to attend the media preview for Body Worlds, the newest exhibit at Discovery Place in Charlotte. The last time it was in town was when I was in college- I heard great things but never got the chance to go. This is one of the most visited exhibits in the entire world and lucky for us NC folks, they’re back in Charlotte through March.




This exhibit takes you on a journey through the cycle of life of the human body- from birth to aging. As a future physician assistant, this was right up my alley! Their main purpose is to educate the public on the effects of good health, poor health, and the lifestyle choices we make.










We got to hear Dr. Angelina Whalley speak about the history of the exhibit and the plastination process. She is the creative designer and conceptual planner of the exhibit and is actually married to the inventor himself, Dr. Gunther von Hagens. Plastination is a technique that is used to preserve the body, which turns the tissues into solid, durable, and odorless specimens that are used for the purposes of education. All of this takes place at the Institute for Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany. Fun fact: A whole body plastinate (like the baseball player above) can take up to 1,500 hours to complete!





All of these bodies (and individual body parts) come from donors who have agreed to give their bodies to science and education. There are even a few live donors here in NC! This way, people can come and take a closer look at what goes on within the body and ultimately feel more in tune with their health. 





Take these smoker’s lungs for example. Not too appetizing, right??










Along with lifelike full-body plastinates, there are other interesting displays such as the blood flow to the heart, a spine with scoliosis, and a brain with Alzheimer’s. I had the opportunity to dissect a cadaver in PA school so I’ve seen my fair share of the inside of a human body. Some people might be a little freaked out that all of these specimens are real, but it truly is art and you won’t be disappointed!







If you’re in the Charlotte area and would like to visit the Body Worlds & The Cycle of Life exhibit, you can find out more info here. Hope y’all have a great day and thanks for stopping by!





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Day Trip to Linville Falls


This weekend sure was a fun one! Sometimes it’s good to just get out of town for a change of scenery and that’s exactly what we did on Saturday. Ryan & I, along with our friends Chase & Whitney, headed to the mountains of NC for a little hiking trip. I was excited to partner to partner with Southeast Toyota to test drive the new 2016 Toyota Camry on the trip. I drive a smaller, compact car so it was nice to have something a little more spacious for the weekend. They updated the body style this year and it is super sleek. Some of my other favorite features are the voice recognition, Bluetooth capability, and of course the backup camera.

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Gift Guide for Her: Under $50

Along with the annual Friendsgiving event, I always look forward to Christmas events with my friends- especially our little gift exchange. Sometimes we go to a restaurant, sometimes we exchange cookies at someone’s house. Either way, nothing beats quality time spent with friends and family during the holiday season.
For my gift exchange we draw names (I get vetoed for Dirty Santa every year) and  try to stay under the $50 mark. This way we keep it affordable for everyone, but we can still gift our “Secret Santa” a nice, quality gift.
So I’ve put together a gift guide perfect for your mom, coworker, or bestie… All under $50!
++ For the girly girl, get her something metallic and sparkly- like these gold glitter coasters or metallic clutch. 
++ For the phone case lover, surprise her with this python GiGi New York case.
++ Rollerball perfume is always a good option- Daisy Dream smells oh-so-fresh!
++ Any gift with a personal touch is a winner in my book- including these monogrammed Moscow mule mugs.
++ If all else fails, go with cute jewelry. You know I love me some Kendra Scott and these druzy earrings are a steal.
++ Every lady loves to add a new scarf to her collection and you can’t go wrong with faux fur.
++ These totes from Nordstrom have been all the rage- great quality, reversible, and include a little wristlet. All of that and under 50 bucks!
++ I have a slight huge obsession with Kate Spade- these polka dot glasses are just darling and this mini wallet would be perfect to throw in your clutch. 
++ Watches can be pricey, but this one from Timex incorporates silver and gold… and doesn’t break the bank!
++ For the baking queen, treat her with this 3-piece kitchen set. The mint and polka dots are too cute to handle.
++A nice, luxiourious blanket always makes a great gift. This faux fur throw from Target is super soft and comes at a great price.





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Calligraphy, Friendsgiving & an Engagement


Oh, this weekend sure was a great one. Lots of good things happening as you can tell from the title of this post so let’s jump right in! Ps. Sorry if this post gets a little long winded or picture-heavy… you have been warned!






Friday was a busy day. I sat in our kitchen from 9:30am to about 4pm addressing our save-the-dates. It was a lot of work but I gotta say… I LOVE how they turned out. Luckily my gold ink came in the mail that morning and I went to town on those envelopes. After only a few breaks, a skipped lunch, and a cramping right hand, they were finally complete! And yes, I did them all in one sitting (mostly because we had our engagement pictures pushed back so I was in a time crunch). Luckily we’re having a small wedding so I only addressed about 60 envelopes. I can’t wait for all the guests to receive them and will be sharing them with all of you in a few weeks!! 





In much more exciting news… one of my very best friends got engaged this weekend!!  Logan also happens to be my MOH and I’m so excited for her and Kevin to tie the knot. I still remember when we all went to trivia and they were “set up” by one of her friends in law school… which happens to be Kevin’s now sister-in-law. We’re all just growing up so fast! She thought we were having a girls night out but after he proposed, they came at 5Church to find all of us waiting. So then we popped some champagne and celebrated all night long!



The current brides-to-be!!





Saturday was spent mailing the save-the-dates, napping, and getting prepared for our 2nd annual friendsgiving feast. One thing that I’m very thankful for is friends that can cook… and cook well! I’m not the best in the kitchen but I can make a mean cranberry sauce haha. I know it’s super easy but oh-so delicious. We also had to get some shots of the couples… maybe these will convince them to send out Christmas cards this year! 



How sweet is this family photo??




We had quite the spread of turkey, ham, stuffing, brussel sprouts, broccoli & corn casseroles, bacon-wrapped green beans, and mashed potatoes. Complete with hot apple cider and apple crisp for dessert. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it again! We ended the night with some card games and a showing of Step Brothers. I love this time with friends and I’m glad that we have this tradition… which can hopefully take place at our new place next year!



So as you can see, there was lots of love going around this weekend. Nothing beats QT with the besties. Like I keep saying, 2016 is going to be one exciting year! I hope everyone had a great weekend as well (and hopefully y’all scored some goodies at the Sephora sale– and in case you didn’t, the sale ends tonight)!


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Sephora VIB Sale Picks


Alright ladies, it’s here. The Sephora VIB sale is in full force! EVERYTHING is 20% off. I went in the store yesterday to check out the selection and racked up quite the wish list. Last year was my first time partaking in the sale and I definitely scooped up a lot of great deals. I’ve got a few products that are running on empty because I’ve been holding out for this sale so checkbook… prepare yourself. Whether you’re looking to stock up on the essentials (like my favorite concealer) or pick up some awesome new gift sets, now is the time. Here are some of my top picks for the sale!




YSL Beauty Icons set: YSL makeup never disappoints and this set includes an illuminator, mascara, and a bright pink lipstick.





Philosophy shower gel: My mom introduced me to this brand many years ago and these shower gels are such a treat. There are lots of yummy scents that are perfect for the holidays. 





Amika curling wand: I’m a huge fan. I have naturally straight hair and this makes my curls stay!





Bobbi Brown Mini Lip & Eye Palette: Pretty shimmery eyeshadows and a lip gloss that will fit in your clutch and are perfect for the holidays. Of course, I’m still loyal to my Naked palette and if you’ve been wanting to add the latest one to your collection- do it now because they never go on sale.





Clinique lash building primer: After hearing rave reviews (mostly from Katie Elizabeth), this one’s finally going in the cart.





Formula X Bottle Service set: If y’all follow me on Snapchat (khendley), then you saw what is probably my favorite item at Sephora right now. When I saw this champagne bottle filled with nail polish, I about died!! It’s basically the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and a must-have for all you polish lovers out there.





Fresh Skincare Heroes set: I love Fresh products and you can always count on them to have fun and affordable sets for the holidays. Their soy cleanser is one of my favorites and I can’t live without my Fresh sugar lip balm.





Bite Beauty lip crayon set: These products are amazing- creamy, have a nice scent, and they last. This set comes with 4 festive shades and is only $25! And I’m thinking of picking up another Bite mini lipstick duo– it’s the perfect little stocking stuffer.







Detox Dry Shampoo: I’ve heard great things about Drybar products and want to try out this dry shampoo. Anyone out there had good results or do y’all think it’s overpriced? 









“Give Me Some Lip” kit: I love trying out new lip colors but with some of them being so pricey, value kits are the way to go. This set is a great way to test out different brands and formulas before you really commit.







Here are some more of my sale picks for your viewing (and shopping) pleasure. You can click any of the photos to shop!













In other news… my save-the-dates arrived last night!! And oh. my. gosh. I love them!! I gotta get those things out ASAP so today will spent doing calligraphy until my hand cramps up. I’m also looking forward to our 2nd annual friendsgiving with my best friends and can’t wait to enjoy all of the amazing food. Hope y’all have a great weekend!












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