I was so excited to find this phone case on Casely. I have been searching for months after seeing Teen Mom 2 Star, Chelsea Houska with it in her Instagram stories. I ordered it right away. About $20 with the current coupon and regular shipping. 

My initial thought was love for the pattern, as expected, the case was shiny and slick and a bit heavier than the case I took off of the phone. 

Two days in and I'm taking the case off and hopefully sending it back for a refund. Here's why this newsfeed ad phone case was a major flop:
1. The case is so slick that it slides off of everything. Where I usually set my phone, in at least four separate places, this case slides right off and onto the floor. The phone itself was fine, but one of those falls cracked my screen protector. 
2. Just enough weight to make the phone heavy and uncomfortable to hold. 
3. The case has a cutout for the volume switch, which is really helpful, but the case covers the buttons and what they designed to allow you to push the buttons is extremely difficult. I have so many unintentional screenshots from trying to push the buttons but then can't get a screenshot when I want one - it just clicks the screen off. This is honestly the biggest deal breaker of them all. Trying to take a phone call and not being able to get the volume up or down is just a nuisance that I shouldn't have with a $1,000 phone. 

Overall: cute but not functional. Would not recommend and really glad I didn't stock up on all the case designs I liked. 

It's our favorite time of year - when we feast at a discount! Charlotte's Queen's Feast is taking place from July 19-28, 2019 at participating locations. Here's what you need to know: 

BOOK NOW! Don't wait until the day or two before because the best restaurants and the best deals will be booked! If you don't make a reservation, don't bother trying to walk into these places until after restaurant week is over - you won't get a seat and they just might laugh at you. 

Check the menus before booking. Only select appetizers, entrees and desserts are included. You may not see your favorite dish as part of the selection. 

You can view participating restaurants by location. Be sure to book the correct one. For example, the Ruth's Chris in Southpark and Uptown often participate. Be sure you know where you are headed! 

Look at the pricing on the website and make sure you are getting a good deal. Not every restaurant is discounting by much and the free dessert that you aren't interested in won't justify the visit. Our favorite restaurant is not that great of a deal since we don't care for the add-ons that restaurant week offers. 

Expect a packed restaurant, slightly lower quality and a possible wait (even with your reservation). I'd like to think we are restaurant week pros at this point. We go somewhere every restaurant week. We try and go somewhere different each time. I'd have to say our best experience was at Sullivan's Steakhouse in South End. The quality was as good as it normally is, we were seated pretty quickly and the service was still good, despite the overwhelmingly busy environment. We've also been to Ruth's Chris during restaurant week and the quality was not nearly as good as is normal. However, you have to think not only are they giving you food at a major discount, but they're slam packed! A fair trade, in my opinion. Fleming's was my favorite before our visit to Sullivan's. Both are quite good and if it is your first restaurant week experience, I'd recommend one of the two! 

Don't let the Charlotte in Charlotte Restaurant Week fool you. Restaurants across the region are participating! 
Here are some of my favorites, geographically: 
Belmont/Gastonia: McAdenville Table & Market, Webb Custom Kitchen
Denver: Chillfire
Mooresville: Epic Chophouse
South End: Sullivan's
SouthPark: Del Frisco's, Harper's, Maggiano's, P.F. Chang's
Uptown: Capital Grille, Chima, Fahrenheit, Fleming's, Morton's, Sea Level

What do we love more than free stuff? FREE ICE CREAM! 
This Sunday, July 21st is NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY and you can enjoy this delicious holiday for free (or at a discount)!
Here's local(ish) places offering deals*to be verified by local establishment*: 
Baskin Robbins: Two pre-packed quarts for $8.99
Cold Stone: New and existing club rewards members get a B1G1 free coupon for Sunday. Sign up by Saturday to redeem! 
Culver's: Free scoop of custard with purchase of value basket at participating locations, with coupon
Dairy Queen: Download the app and get B1G1 free
Sonic: Half-price shakes and ice cream cookie sandwiches for $1.49 after 8 pm

Looking for a place to dine outside and enjoy the summer sunset? We've got a list of our favorite restaurants with outdoor seating, just for you! 

There is no quainter place than Main Street in McAdenville and the Table & Market has a large patio with comfy chairs, tables, a fire pit and lights for a perfect low-key evening. 

Grab your four-legged friend and stop by Rivermen Brewing to enjoy the picnic-table-filled patio. It's our favorite pet-friendly patio! 

Looking for a good view? Head over to the rebranded JR Cash's (formerly J Peter's). No worries, the menu is 99% the same - and the view, still 100% gorgeous. Enjoy the deck overlooking the River. 

Overlook downtown Belmont, where the sunset is always charming, from the rooftop at Nellie's Southern Kitchen.  

Station in Belmont offers a cozy outdoor vibe where you'll feel the small-town charm the entire time! 

Last but not least, don't forget about the covered outdoor seating at Glenway Premium Pub. If the sun is a bit too much for you, Glenway offers a great spot! 

It's likely that you know by now, I strive to be an informed, aware shopper. I've always been a bargain-hunter. I never buy anything online without looking for a promo code. I hate to pay for shipping. I rarely pay full-price for anything. BUT when a good deal strikes, I'm often going to snatch it up whether I NEED it now or not. 

Just over two years ago, I was shopping in the Gastonia Target. I purchased three items and after I inserted my debit card, I realized the amount was just too much for what I had purchased. The cashier handed me the receipt and sure enough, I was overcharged on three of four items. The cashier, confirming it "happens all the time" told me to just go check the prices on the shelves and go to customer service for a refund. So, I did. It was somewhere around $5 that I was due back. The customer service associate again didn't seem phased. This was the day that the switch flipped and I became abundantly aware of the overcharging that was going on in stores everywhere. 

I use Victoria's Secret promo codes on every order. Who doesn't? There is always a coupon. When I noticed what was happening, I stopped shopping there altogether. I was applying the promo codes, the amount was coming off of the total, I was clicking submit with the correct amount on the screen but when my statements were coming, it was for more than I agreed to pay when I clicked submit. The promo codes were coming off and I was paying whatever the full or regular sale price was, no additional savings! How long had this been happening?! I was not sure. After the customer service department refused to do anything at all, I vowed not to shop there anymore. I emailed the local news, but never heard back. I told my friends to beware! 

Fast forward to last night. I'm a sucker for post-its and they make adorable treasure chests full of a variety of colors, sizes, shapes and types. The boxes usually go for $100 or well-over, so when an ad popped up on Instagram for $50, it was time to stock back up! I typically take out what I want and donate the rest to a back-to-school drive. It's a win-win. Being who I am, I went to the eBates app, opened up the Staples link. Searched for the treasure chest. Added to cart and started hunting for any additional savings. I found a $20 off $100 coupon on Retail Me Not so I added a second treasure chest to the cart and applied the coupon. BAM, reduced the cart total to $80! Winning, right?! WRONG. I went all the way through, keyed in my shipping information, card information and reviewed the order. Shipping was free, and since I had keyed in my address it populated my tax, so the total was $85.60. Below where I reviewed the charges: $80.00 sub total, FREE shipping, $5.60 estimated tax, total amount $85.60 was the blue submit order button. Everything looks good, so I click submit only to be greeted by a confirmation page with a total of $107.00! I immediately called customer service and after explaining to the associate repeatedly that the promo code was correctly applied all the way until I agreed to pay $85.60. Meanwhile, the $107.00 was already withdrawn from my bank account. I asked to speak with a supervisor, Tracy. Tracy stated that Staples coupons can be applied and come off of the order even if they are not "valid". I explained to Tracy that it was completely fraudulent to ask customers to confirm orders at one price and turn around and charge them more. How many hundreds or thousands of people do you think they have scammed this year and they do not even know?! While Tracy did refund the $21.40, my mission was not just to get a refund but to bring awareness to this fraudulent means of extorting customers. 

I share these stories with you to help you understand how important it is to pay attention at the register AND at checkout online. To note your order total before and after checking out online. To pay attention to sale prices as you put things in your cart. We all know there is no way you can juggle making sure every item in the cart rings up correctly at the grocery store, but you can have a pretty good idea. Pay attention. Say something. Make them correct it. My philosophy is that I work HARD for MY money and I'm not going to give any more of it than I intended away. 

I do have screenshots of this most recent experience and due to all of the personal information on each of them, I'm refraining from posting them to this blog, but have saved them for my own documentation and intend to bring attention to this matter until laws are actually enforced to keep businesses from defrauding consumers! 

Lots of opportunities to celebrate this Fourth of July! Our proximity to Charlotte gives us options for some of the country's biggest fireworks displays, and we have the benefit of our small-town celebrations right here. Whether it be Mount Holly's early celebration or grabbing a spot with 75,000 other people at SkyShow, there will be lots to take the kids to see this year! We've compiled a list for you, but as a perk of our blog, check out these event links: 
Gaston All American Fair
Mount Holly 
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Whitewater Center
​BB&T Ballpark SKYSHOW
​Red, White & Belmont
​​Harper Park - Stanley

Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens Butterfly Bungalow kicks off this week! Visit the Garden from May 25th through September 6th to check out the Butterfly exhibit which covers the life cycle of the Butterfly. The exhibit will cost an extra $3 for each non-member, in addition to the garden admission rates. 

There is a very long list of reasons why I back the blue. I studied Criminal Justice in undergrad and it has always been my passion. I have three mentors to thank for that. As a high school student, I participated in the local Explorers program. I stayed in the program much longer than is "allowed" and continued to be involved throughout college. It was largely due to the relationship I built with the Deputy leading the program. His family became my family. All three of my mentors showed me the compassion, skill, attention and dedication that it takes to be a LEO. 

Those mentors are my friends and throughout college and my adult life, I've come to be friends with several others that serve in law enforcement. One of my very best friends is a probation officer. Then we moved to Mount Holly and our neighbor was a K9 Officer. We loved his K9 and his family. 

When we moved to North Carolina in 2004, Mooresville was home. Shortly thereafter, we moved to Catawba County, but Mooresville was still my "stomping grounds". It's where my first job was, where many of my friends were, where I shopped and hung out. 

While the population has grown a lot since 2004, it's still a great little town.

Last weekend, that great little town lost a good man, Officer Jordan Sheldon. A man that was protecting and serving, like he chose to do. A man that gave his life protecting his community. 

The outpouring of support has made me cry numerous times this week. I'm grateful for the positive comments, prayers and well wishes for his family. For the thousands of community members that attended his memorial service, stood along the procession route today and sent prayers from across the country. 

While I pray that no other officer ever loses his or her life again, I know that won't be the case. So, I also pray that the support carries on long after we begin to heal from this tragedy. I pray that the community will continue to support our officers in good times and bad times. I pray that there will be a constant display of appreciation and that we never need another tragedy to bring us together again. 

We will never forget, Officer Jordan Sheldon. 

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