TGIF, Let's Go!

Alright, I know I have been less than diligent the past few months around here. Summer seems to have just flown by and I'm still recovering from that whirlwind. Last summer was spent studying for and taking the Bar Exam, which was vastly different from this summer, having essentially nothing major going on. I literally can't believe that it is already the middle of August - past the middle of August in fact. How has your summer been?

Hilton Head

We spent last week on vacation in Hilton Head and it was wonderful. After taking so much time off for the wedding n February, I hadn't had much of a break and this was so needed. And for the first time that I can remember, we didn't have a single day that was completely washed out. It started pouring one day when we were already on the beach, but as tends to the case, it passed by quickly and we were able to dry out and enjoy the rest of the day. I was definitely not ready to leave. What are your favorite vacation spots? 

OXO On Coffee Maker

Y'all. I had no idea how much difference the coffee maker could have on the taste of my favorite morning ritual. Through Influenster I was lucky enough to receive the Oxo Barista Brain On 9-Cup Coffee Maker and it is amazing. There is a more detailed review coming (HERE it is!), but just let me tell you, it is worth it. The coffee is strong, and rich, and smooth, and makes me want to drink the coffee all. day. long. 

Whole30

I am on Day 7 of Whole30 and I am really struggling. Over the last five or 6 months I'd been having a lot of stomach issues and after having more than my fair share of tests, everything has come back normal. Which is great. I am thankful that nothing appears to be wrong. However, it didn't change the fact that I felt sick after almost every meal. Enter, Whole30. One of my good friends did it about two months ago, so she has been my go to on a lot of questions, but I am pretty sure I'm starting to drive her crazy, and I am trying really hard to figure everything out. According to the rough timeline, around days 6 and 7 you feel completely exhausted, and let me tell you, that could not be a truer statement.  I am hoping to get a boost of energy any time now, although I think I still have a few days to go. Have any of y'all completed Whole30? Any tips or tricks? 

Morning Brew

I know I've shared the Skimm here before, and I still read it every morning. But, recently I learned about Morning Brew which is another early morning email that comes straight to you. And I actually look forward to receiving and reading the Morning Brew. It is similar to the Skimm in its short new clips and witty remarks. But the biggest difference - and it is a big one - is that the focus is on the business world and the markets. In my line of work it is very relevant, and I appreciate having such a comprehensive review everyday of what is going on.  Even if you don't think its for you, I would still recommend giving it a shot because whether you realize it or not, it's still relevant to everyone. After Great Britain voted for the Brexit, there was so much information on how and why it was having such an effect on our markets, and kept me from having to read eighteen different articles to find out what was going on. Give it a shot and I can almost promise you won't regret it! Do y'all have any favorite morning news rituals? Sometimes I wish I had hours to read the paper, but when I don't the Skimm and Morning Brew definitely come to the rescue. 

Cleaning House

It has been eight months since we closed on our house and I still feel like there is so much that we need to do. The combination of packing, unpacking, and graciously receiving truckloads of wedding presents did not make for an easy transition. This weekend my goal is to really get the house in shape. Next week we have a few friends staying with us for a conference they have in town, so I really don't have much choice! It may not be everyone's idea of a fun weekend, but the clutter has been hanging over my head for months, so if I can get it tidying up and cleaned out I will feel so much better! Here's to hoping for a productive weekend! 

Have a great weekend y'all! 

xoxo

linking up with:

Oh Hey Friday | Five on Friday | xoxo Rebecca | High Five for Friday | Friday Favorites 
The Wednesday Showcase

TGIF: Happy 4th of July!

Happy Friday, y'all! I thought this week was never going to end. I think knowing that  a long weekend is ahead makes for a longgggg week. 

Morning Brew 

I recently discovered Morning Brew and I love it! Morning Brew is a dpart of the business world, bur still would like to know what's going on. I think lately it has been a solid read and kept me well informed with the ups and owns of the market because of the Brexit Vote. (If you don't know what the Brexit Vote is, Morning Brew is definitely something you should read!) This quick morning read is definitely easier to follow than the front pages of the Wall Street Journal. Check it out and let me know what you think! 

aily (weekdays only) email that gets to your inbox around 630am and gives you the rundown on all things business going on in the world. Sounds similar to the Skimm, I know. But, the biggest difference is that the concentration is more business/finance geared than just a general news report. As someone who has always been interested in the business world, I think it is a great resource. However, I think it is also great for those not necessarily

Fourth of July

I just love the Fourth of July. Summer is one of my favorite seasons because I LOVE warm weather, and the fireworks, and all of the love for America. Okay. I know, you get it. I am just so excited about this weekend, and not just because it means an extra day off work! Plus, we're heading to the local Minor League Baseball game, which really just tops off the weekend! What plans do you have? 

New Planner 

I've recently been introduced to the term "planner peace," and I hope that one day I can get there. Sometimes I think I just need to design my own planner, until I realize that a. I don't have a lot of time for that and b. I'm still not sure I know what I want. I have really gone through the planners. I've tried Moleskin, Lilly, Emily Ley, and I've just ordered my first Plum Paper Planner. I cannot wait for it to arrive! Now that I'm not in school and work pretty much 8am-6/7pm every day, I don't need a ton of room for hourly events. However, I am still very much a planner and like to have plenty of space for my to-do lists. I am hopeful that the planner I order from Plum Paper will satisfy (almost) everything I am looking for. I will be sure to update y'all when it arrives! I've posted a few photos of my Emily Ley weekly layouts over on Instagram if you want to check those out. Do any of you have a planner that is tried and true? 

Orange is the New Black 

I finished Season Four and I am just so sad. I do not want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't watched it yet, but holy cow. I do not know if I can wait another year for Season Five! 

Painting our Bedroom  

In addition to celebrating this great country we live in, we are also planning to paint our bedroom this weekend. We bough this house about 6 months ago and have s l o w l y been working on updating it to our tastes. The master bedroom has this weird light orangey/pink/peach color on the walls and I had finally had enough of it. It obviously doesn't match any of our stuff and I certainly wasn't interested in trying to match to it. [note - there are also a lot of patches and poor touch ups, so it needed a repainting, of any color] So last weekend we went to Lowes and chose a few paint samples - all shades of grey - put some of the swatches up on the wall, and have looked at them all week trying to decide which one we like the best, and I think we've made a decision. My mom loves to paint and at this point has probably painted every room in our house at least twice, so I feel like I know what I'm doing for the most part. However, I learned as we were choosing samples that my husband has never painted a room, so he was very hesitant to get the process started. We thought if we started with our bedroom and it went well we could tackle some of the other rooms in the house. If not, we'll get a few quotes from the pros. As much as I think I know what I'm doing, I am always open to suggestions if any of y'all have a story or tips to share! 

Have a great weekend y'all! Happy Fourth of July! 

xoxo

linking up with:

Oh Hey Friday | Five on Friday |  Casual I Friday | xoxo Rebecca | High Five for Friday | Friday Favorites 
The Wednesday Showcase

look for the positive in a season of negatives

I am doing my best to repeat these things to myself everyday, and believe in what they say. Sometimes it's the only thing we can do. 

Bachelorette Recap 06.06.16

Did you catch last night's episode? What were your top moments?

One-on-One with Chase

I'll be honest, it is taking me a while to get the boys straight this season. I don't know if I've just neglected to pay attention when the names are up on the screen, or if its because there are about 6 that all look the same. Chase is one of those for me. I hadn't considered him as a front runner initially because I think I just forgot he existed. Oops. But after watching that sweet one on one date, I would definitely put him in my top 5. I think the guys who get one on one dates earlier in the season always seem to have that connection. Obviously they are getting a chance to have that alone time so much earlier, and I think it's clear that can really make a difference in terms of the connections. Especially when they are doing hot yoga together! What are your thoughts? 

Chad. 

I don't even know what else to say about this. (Except that I am really looking forward to the drama that was previewed to unfold tonight.) I am just blown away by how much he speaks his mind. I agree that no one wants to think someone's actions are fake, but I don't think that gives someone the green light to be rude under the disguise of "honesty." I also can't believe they had to have a security guard at the house?? And did Chris Harrison really not know about that? 

Speaking of Chris Harrison . . . 

When is he going to get his chance to be the Bachelor? I'm sure he gets paid well for what he does, but he always seems so genuine when dealing with the inevitable drama and high emotions. And I don't know about you, but I appreciated his little tease with the boys last night and making them thing they wouldn't get to JoJo at all before the rose ceremony. 

Evan's Stand-Up Act Re: Chad

I don't know which was more uncomfortable. Watching Chad more or less refuse to partake, or watching Evan stand up there and clearly call out Chad for almost his entire monologue. Seriously, what was he thinking? You are accusing a guy of using steroids. If he does in fact use steroids, and you are pointing that out to all of America, he is someone to fear. Heck, even if he doesn't, he obviously works out and has more strength than I could even fathom. Don't mess with him. 

One-on-One with James

I was so glad to see the connection JoJo and James had on their date. He's been one of my favorites from the beginning, but even JoJo said she wasn't sure what kind of chemistry they might have. I thought it was so honest of her to express that, and make it clear that she was looking for a connection early. If I were in her shoes, I think I would feel the same way. There are obviously a lot of guys, and when you are trying to eliminate so many early on you have to define what you are looking for and determine which guy has that. I think it was definitely a positive for James to get one of these early one-on-ones because I'm not sure JoJo would have had the chance to pull that chemistry out of him otherwise. 

Don't forget! - Another two-hour episode is on tonight! Since all of the planned dates aired last night, I can only assume this will be 80% pool party/cocktail party and 20% rose ceremony. What do you think will happen? 

What were your top moments from this week's episode? 

Have a great day, y'all! 

xoxo 

TGIF: thank goodness for 4 day weeks

Y'all. I don't know what has happened to me, but my motivation lately has been sub-par. Maybe its the realization that this is my first working-full-time-summer, or maybe its just that there aren't any big events right now to count down to. Either way, I've gotta get back in gear - so if you can offer any tips, I'm all ears! Here are a few things I've got going on, what have you been into lately? 

The Bachelorette is Back!

Okay, I admit it. I watch the Bachelorette. This was the second week of JoJo's season, and I will say, its been a little boring so far. Is it just me? I was waiting for everything with Chad to blow up last week, but so far JoJo seems to appreciate his honesty, so I'm not sure how long it will take for that to progress. The previews for the rest of the season look juicy as always, I'm just curious to see how long it will take us to get there. Who are your front runners right now? I'm really digging James Taylor, Wells, and Jordan.

Planning My Outfits

I feel like I have been in a rut lately in terms of my wardrobe. Again, I think this is starting to come back to working full time, all the time, and feeling like I never get to wear my "fun clothes" anymore. Nevertheless, I wake up every morning and moan about not knowing what to wear. At least we are finally (fingers crossed) late enough into spring, with temperatures consistently warm enough that I know I can skip the leggings and sweaters, but with a closet full of dresses, that doesn't necessarily make it an easier decision. Every now and then I get the itch to just plan it all out, no questions asked, I write down everything I'm going to wear to work for the next month and I stick to it. I mean, honestly, why not? It if is in my closet, I should want to wear it at least with in the next month or so. If not, it should be in the toss (donate/sell/etc.) pile. 

If this sounds like any of you, I would highly recommend planning out what you want to wear for the next month, give or take a week. It keeps my morning routine a little less stressful, and cuts down on time that I have to spend figuring out what I want to wear. Added bonus: I am not a fan of wearing the same thing withing less than two to three weeks of the previous occasion, and this is almost a sure-fire way to avoid that happening. Because lets be real, no matter how good you think your memory is days and weeks start to run together and you have no idea what you wore last Monday. If you are seriously interested in this and would like some more guidance please feel free to reach out! 

Inflatable Pools

We bought an inflatable pool last weekend. It might have been the best $30 dollars we've spent on something seemingly silly in a while. You can judge away, because I might have, but don't knock it 'til you try it. We used to live in a condo that had a pool, so for the last three summers we spent almost every weekend at the pool hanging out. Well, Memorial Day came around this year and while we were fortunate to have bought a house during the winter, but that house did not come with a pool. My husband's solution was to buy an inflatable pool, and let me tell you. It was not his worst idea. I know, I know, it can be bad for the grass, but we have already taken it down and the grass underneath is still a-okay! 

Blush VoxBox

I've shared a few of the other VoxBoxes I've received on here before, but I think this one might be my favorite. When I got the email to expect it in the mail and saw that it was titled "Blush VoxBox" I was expecting to text out some type of blush. Well, I was 100% wrong. The Blush VoxBox includes 4 products and samples, plus a coupon code for 15% off at a retail store. So far the only product I've had the chance to use are the Simple Face Wipes, and I really liked them.  I am terrible about taking my makeup off at night which is clearly bad for my skin, but also makes scrubbing off mascara the next morning zero fun. These face wipes worked so well to remove everything! The only thing I'm unsure about with the wipes is the lack of fragrance. I think it is a nice idea in theory, and they are designed for sensitive skin, but I personally enjoy at least a minimal scent that makes me feel more clean and refreshed.After I have a chance to use the rest of the products, featured, I will definitely report back! If y'all are interested in becoming an Influenster, you can click here. I joined a little less than a year ago and have received four VoxBoxes, in addition to participating in some VirtualVoxes. It is fun way to try out new products and have the opportunity to give honest reviews!

StitchFix

I am on my second Fix and I'm still not sure how I feel about it overall. I received my first Fix about two months ago and I sent it all back. It just wasn't me. I was a bit concerned with how off it seemed, considering I'd completed my style profile, left notes for the stylist, and created a Pinterest board. I decided to give it another go (and I had a gift card) a month or so later. This time around I ended up keeping two of the pieces and I've worn both already a few times - definitely good choices! I'm still just not sure its for me. I joined a facebook group with a lot of women who subscribe and it has put a lot of things about it in perspective for me. I am admittedly picky in some of the things I just flat out don't like, and at this time in my life, if I felt like I needed a certain piece for an upcoming event, I do have the time to shop for it myself - usually. So maybe I'm not the targeted audience, but that doesn't mean I don't love getting a box of clothes picked for me and delivered every other month. What is your take on this? How many of you subscribe, did it take a while for your stylist to really "get you"? I have another Fix scheduled for the end of this month, but I'm still undecided how I feel about it in the long term.

I hope y'all have had a nice short week after a long weekend. I know I have definitely enjoyed one less work day!

Have a great weekend, y'all! 

xoxo

linking up with:

Oh Hey Friday | Five on Friday |  Casual I Friday | xoxo Rebecca | High Five for Friday | Friday Favorites 
The Wednesday Showcase