Sassy Southern Blonde

A Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kelsie Bynum

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • PARTNER WITH KELSIE
  • SHOP
    • SHOP MY INSTAGRAM
    • SHOP MY IG STORIES
    • HOME DECOR
  • CATEGORIES
    • FASHION
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • BEAUTY
      • MAKEUP
      • HAIR
    • TRAVEL
    • BLOG TIPS
  • DISCOUNT CODES

REFLECTING ON 2021

January 4, 2022

As I’m sitting down to type this, I can’t help but feel extremely blessed yet truly undeserving of the past 12 months! Some of the best moments of my life have happened in 2021, so this year will forever and always hold a special place in my heart. I took on several new roles, but my favorite is being a mom to Baker! 🙂 It’s hard to believe that we were getting ready to announce I was pregnant with him during this time last year, and now he is 6 months old! Time is not on a mama’s side and babies just don’t keep. It breaks my heart! Anywho, I’m going to dive into each month of 2021 below and share my favorite moments!

JANUARY

It’s safe to say we started 2021 off with a bang when we announced that we were expecting a baby in June! I was super nervous to share the news, but we received SO much love and support. The worst part about my pregnancy was the thyroid issues I experienced in the beginning which caused excessive swelling, so I literally cringe looking at any photos from the first few months! I will 100% be calling my thyroid doctor before my OB on the next round! (In a few years) Hahah.

FEBRUARY

After I got my thyroid under control, I felt like I could finally enjoy my pregnancy! Bo’s birthday is the day before Valentine’s, so we had a great weekend celebrating before a huge ice storm came through that Sunday. We were stranded at home for 4 days, and I’m just glad we didn’t kill each other! Lol.

BABY BOY SHOWERMARCH

My best friends threw my first baby shower for Baker in March, and it was so perfect! (I did a full blog post recap HERE) It also made me realize that we were only 3 months away from meeting him, and it was time to buckle down! Lol. We had also secretly been in the process of buying a home since January, and I was beyond ready to share the news with y’all! I just didn’t want to jinx anything!

APRIL

April was the best month (besides June obviously) because we became official homeowners! And I just remembered this was actually one of my goals for 2021. We moved to a great neighborhood two months before Baker was born, so we had just enough time to get settled before he arrived! I also took my last baby free blogger trip to 30A with Karli. We couldn’t have timed it worse because it rained the entire weekend, but we still had the best time together and ate too much food! 🙂

Maternity Photo SessionMAY

May is my birthday month, so we planned a quick trip to Orange Beach! Bo doesn’t love the beach like I do, so we probably should have gone somewhere else. Lol. It was still a nice weekend getaway for just the two of us before Baker arrived! We did lots of goofy golfing (Bo’s favorite) and eating, per usual. My family also threw me my last baby shower at the end of the month, and it was so nice to have everyone there to celebrate! It was the cutest bee theme since Baker has triple B initials!

Baker's Birth StoryJUNE

June was the month my entire life changed, and the most precious 6.15 pound little boy stole my heart! There’s really no way to adequately prepare for the feelings and emotions of birthing your child. Others can tell you their perspective, but you don’t fully comprehend until you are there in the moment experiencing it for yourself!

I also knew that I would need extra help staying on top of everything for Sassy Southern Blonde, so I signed with Lola & Ivy management agency and it was the BEST decision! They keep my inbox and collaborations organized, which is amazing because that’s what caused me the most anxiety! Lol.

JULY

I had heard babies come alive around 2 weeks, and that’s exactly what Baker did! And for that reason, July was probably the hardest month. As new parents, we were still trying to figure him out and he was SO fussy! The bouncer was the ONLY thing that would keep him content while he was awake. Luckily, he did sleep pretty well at night, so we weren’t totally unrested!

We also decided we were brave enough to take him to brunch just to get out of the house! I think newborns are probably the easiest at restaurants now that I’ve gone with a 6 month old too. Haha! I had the most precious newborn photos taken in Baker’s nursery. I’ll cherish them forever!

AUGUST

In August, we continued getting adjusted to parenthood and thought it was time to sleep train Baker! Best decision EVER. Bo wasn’t totally convinced, but I just knew it would work and IT DID! I put up my Halloween decorations entirely too early, and I started really feeling like myself again! I was fortunate to have had an easy postpartum recovery, but it still felt good to finally squeeze back into my favorite pair of shorts! 🙂

SEPTEMBER

The highlight of September was my best friend’s bachelorette trip in Scottsdale! SO much fun. It was also the first time I left Baker, but he was in good hands with my mom! Of course I missed him, but it was nice to have a mini break and go somewhere outside my house! Lol. I had been wanting to go to Scottsdale for years, and I’m glad I finally got the chance!

September kicks off the start of Fall, and the blogging world is always hectic (in the best way) at the end of the year! I partnered with brands like Owlet and Ritual, and braced myself for a busy + blessed holiday season!

OCTOBER

In all honesty, I felt like the only 2 trips Bo and I had went on together before Boston weren’t that exciting! However, our last-minute getaway to Boston was amazing, and we truly had the BEST time together. I’m all about experiences, and it makes my heart happy knowing we’ll always have those memories with each other! October is the best month in general, anyways. We took Baker to the fair, the pumpkin patch, and celebrated his first Halloween! Our Chick-fil-A mommy + me costume was my favorite!

October brought a cool partnership opportunity with Walmart that I convinced Bo to participate in with me! He didn’t mind being apart of his first collaboration, but he doesn’t want to be booked regularly! Lol.

NOVEMBER

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, especially when it comes to my family! November is the beginning for all things Christmas unless you’re a blogger and started decorating in October. Lol! The holidays were extra special this year with Baker, but I’m excited for him to actually know what’s going on in the upcoming years! My best friend also got married, and I was the maid of honor. The wedding was such a blast, and I felt it for a couple days afterwards! 😉

My blog had such a successful month collaborating with companies like Walmart and Red Dress Boutique! I love sharing these brands (and many more) because I genuinely love them, so it’s exciting to see my analytics and know y’all feel the same way!

DECEMBER

I swear December flew by! My favorite travel bud (Karli) and I went to New Orleans to shoot some bomb Christmas content! It was a quick trip, but we got so much accomplished. Especially compared to our 30A trip earlier in the year! I think I’m going to suggest we do a weekend NOLA getaway every December!

Baker turned 6 months old, and then it was time to celebrate Christmas. I really didn’t go overboard on presents this year because I knew he wouldn’t remember! He did seem to like his PB chair that everyone recommended, though! Now if we can get him to sit in it without falling over. Usually the end of December makes me sad, but I actually used it to get organized and prepared for 2022! I’m feeling very optimistic about the new year, and everything it has in store! 🙂

XO

Kels

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Lifestyle

TOP 10 SELLERS OF 2021

December 30, 2021

FREE PEOPLE SHORTS (Size: XS, Need SM)

J.CREW COAT DUPE (Size: SM)

FREE PEOPLE LOUNGE SET (Size: XS)

LULULEMON SHORTS (Size: 4)

WALMART DINNERWARE SET

NIRVANA SWEATSHIRT (Size: SM/MD)

FREE PEOPLE VELVET DRESS (Size: XS)

LULULEMON BELT BAG

FREE PEOPLE BODYSUIT (Size: XS)

WALMART SHORTS (Size: SM)

Blog posts took a backseat in December after pumping out gift guides, but I couldn’t end the year without rounding up the top 10 sellers of 2021! I love checking my anayltics because it shows what y’all are loving the most. Luckily, most of your favorite items from the year are still in stock that I’m linking here! Thank you so much for stopping by and supporting me through the years! 🙂

XOXO

Kels

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Fashion | Outfit Post

CYBER WEEK SALES 2021 MASTER LIST

November 24, 2021

Each year flies by quicker than the last, and it’s hard to believe that the 2021 holiday season has arrived! Cyber Week is such a perfect time to finish up your Christmas shopping or just treat yourself with some of the best deals of the year. I have rounded up my personal favorite sales below! I mainly included retailers I actually shop at and love, so it’s less overwhelming for everyone! Clicking the retailer’s name will take you straight to that website to shop. If you make a purchase through my links, I will receive a small commission that’s at NO COST to you!

I will continually update this post through Cyber Monday, but most retailers have already started their sales early! Although some discounts will increase Thanksgiving night and Black Friday, restocks usually don’t happen! If you see something you love, I’d buy it sooner rather than later. I appreciate y’all shopping with me this cyber week more than you know! THANK YOU! 🙂

Abercrombie: 30% Off Everything

American Eagle + Aerie: 30% Off Everything

Anthropologie: 30% Off Select Items

BuddyLove: 40% off site wide with code BLBF21

Elemis Skincare: 30% Off Sitewide

Express: 40-50% Off Everything

Forever 21: 30 – 70% Off Everything + Extra 10% Off with code GET10

Gap: 40% Off Everything

Goodnight Macaroon: 40% off site wide with code THANKS2021

H&M: 30% Off Everything

Kendra Scott: Up to 30% off Everything

LEVI’s: 40% off + Free Shipping

LOFT: 40% off + Extra 10% off with code INDULGE

Macy’s: Numerous discounts throughout the site

Material Girls Boutique: 25% off site wide with code BF2021

Nordstrom: Up to 50% off

Old Navy: 50% Off Everything

Petal & Pup: 25% Off Everything with code 25OFF

Pink Lily Boutique: 30 – 80% off site wide with code BestSaleEver

Pink Possum Boutique: 50% off site wide

Quay Australia: Buy One Get One FREE

Red Dress Boutique: 25% Off site wide with code THANKS25

Sequin Jewelry: 25% Off site wide with 25CYBER

SPANX: 20% off Everything

Steve Madden: 40% off Select Styles

T3 Micro: 25% off Everything

Tarte Cosmetics: 30% off with code CYBERSZN

TULA: 25% off site wide + free shipping

Victoria Emerson: Buy One Get One FREE

Walmart: Numerous discounts throughout the site

XOXO

Kels

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Sales

2021 BOOK REVIEW

November 17, 2021

Even from a young age, I have always enjoyed reading books! I actually won a few Accelerated Reader awards in elementary school, and I got to ride in a limo to the pizza party. Isn’t that every kid’s dream? Lol. As I grew older, I made less time for reading but picked it back up during quarantine like a lot of people! There have been several books I’ve read recently that I wanted to recap if y’all were interested. Some I love better than others, but we’ll dive into that below! 🙂

I thought about ranking the books, but I truly couldn’t decide because I loved most of them so much! And I enjoyed reading them for different reasons. I also wanted to add that I read the last two (Tell Me Lies and The Wife Between Us) during quarantine last year, but I never shared my thoughts!

Ugly Love

For some reason, the main character in this book whose name was Miles made me think of Matt James from The Bachelor the entire time! Hahaha. I think because someone else was named Rachel. Anyways, this was the top recommendation from y’all and it was amazing! I did think the beginning was kind of slow, but there was one chapter that sucked me in and I devoured the book after it. The ending was incredible, and I finished it sobbing!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

I loved what an easy read Evelyn Hugo was! It didn’t make me want to stay up late finishing it, but I was excited to pick up where I left off the next day. If that makes sense! After Ugly Love, it was easily the next fan favorite. I also liked that the title was a bit misleading, but I don’t want to spoil anything else! The book ties up all the loose ends perfectly at the end, and there’s a connection you’ll never see coming!

Under The Influence

My friend (and fellow blogger) Hilary Bodiford wrote Under The Influence and I loved it! It involves bloggers and a mystery murder, so it really was the best recipe for a book. This is her debut novel, and she did a great job keeping me entertained until the last page with a surprising revelation! Hopefully, that ending means there will be a second book 🙂

Verity

Wow. From what I’d heard about Verity, I knew it would be a twisted book, but I never imagined it would be THAT crazy. Just when you think you know the truth, you realize you probably never will. I enjoyed the book as much as someone can enjoy that level of insanity! Haha.

The Last Flight

I’m currently in the thick of The Last Flight, and I’m intrigued but confused! Haha. I’m assuming the ending will tie the two characters, Eva and Claire, together, though. I love a good mystery, and The Last Flight is different than any book I’ve ever read before! I’ll update y’all with my final thoughts once I’m done!

Before We Were Strangers

I think I read Before We Were Strangers several months ago, but it was a beautiful story nonetheless! My favorite books are the ones that speak in both present and past tense because I love finding out the backstory. It helps me understand the characters and plot better! It’s another easy read and a good love story!

It Ends With Us

This was another popular recommendation, but I can’t get into it? I have no idea why. I’ve only read the first few chapters! I might try to push forward because I’m assuming it will eventually hook me. Lol! If you’ve read this book, I’m very interested to hear your opinion, so please DM me. I need to know what I’m missing?!

Tell Me Lies

If you’ve ever been in a complicated relationship with a manipulative person, THIS book is the one to read! I was obsessed with Tell Me Lies because it hit close to home on some levels with previous relationships. You want to shake the main character for her allowing this guy to take advantage of her, but you can also relate to her! If I had to choose a favorite book, this might be it. And I just made myself want to read it again! 🙂

The Wife Between Us

When I think of quarantine, I think of sitting on the balcony of my apartment reading The Wife Between Us! This book really revived my love of reading, and the way it was outlined with two characters’ point of views was genius. Clearly, I love when books have a twisted end and this one did not disappoint! Most people have probably already read it, but if you haven’t, I highly recommend! 

I hope y’all enjoyed my first ever in-depth book review! I had previously shared a blog post about 30+ books recommended to me that I’ll link HERE if you need more ideas!

XO

Kels

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Tips

GIFT GUIDE FOR HIM UNDER $50

November 15, 2021

GIFTS FOR HIM UNDER $50All the Manscaped products in my gift guide can be found HERE! I included The Plow Safety Razor, Weed Whacker Nose Hair Trimmer and Crop Gel Clear Shaving Gel. You can get 20% off automatically applied when you use my link! They make great Christmas presents and stocking stuffers for the men in your life! 🙂

*A special thank you to Manscaped for sponsoring this gift guide. All opinions are my own* 

Leave a Comment CATEGORIES // Gift Guide

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • …
  • 75
  • Next Page »

MEET KELSIE

MEET KELSIE
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

STAY IN THE KNOW!

LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE

LIKE MY FACEBOOK PAGE

Recent Posts

  • CHARLESTON TRAVEL GUIDE
  • 2022 Favorite Purchases SO FAR :)
  • MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE
  • TOP SELLERS FOR SPRING
  • SPRING 2022 TRENDS

MAKEUP MUST HAVES

WHERE I SHOP

Abercrombie

Amazon

American Eagle

ASOS

Express

Forever 21

J. Crew Factory

Nordstrom

Old Navy

Pink Lily Boutique

Red Dress Boutique

Revolve

Target

© 2017 SASSY SOUTHERN BLONDE