Saying Hi & Life Update

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays (a few days late)! I don't know if I ever mentioned it on here but I ended up driving from Texas to New York to spend the holidays back home. Since I am still working from home it didn't make sense for me to fly home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. So my mom flew down and we drove back with Cooper in toe the week before Thanksgiving. I had thought I would have all this extra free time to blog and such. LOL I was so busy with work, holiday prep, and just enjoying as much time with family as possible. I just didn't spend the time to kill myself to get a post up and I am totally good with that! 

I really can't believe the year is almost over. In some ways, it feels like the year just started and in other ways, it feels like it was 10 years in one year. I have lots of new content and posts for the new year but I thought I would share a few photos from the past month since it has been so long. 

Thanksgiving this year was very low key. We had dinner at home and stayed in most of the weekend.

We always get a real Christmas tree and this year we still went to pick one out at the tree farm

I think it is so funny that once the temperature drops in Dallas people think it is too cold to sit outside. Well we sat outside in Buffalo
weather in December. It was a really nice night downtown outside with heaters and a fireplace. It was really the only time we went out to eat at all!

We went to see a drive through lights show and Cooper was obsessed. He had his head out the window the entire time. 

I had a few days off I had to use by the end of the year so I took a Friday off and we went to the original Mackenzie Child's store. It is so cute to see it all decorated for the Holidays.

Christas Day in our matching PJS. I love the ones I ended up picking this year. We have been doing this the past few years. 

Gift Guide: Items I Own & Love

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving. I made the long road trip with my mom from Texas to New York. We got back earlier this week and I am so happy to be spending the holidays at home. Even though this holiday season may look very different for lots of people I hope you were able to enjoy it.

Sharing my second gift guide of the season and it will probably be one of my last as I don't feel like I need to create a million gift guides. There are SO many gift guides out there and a lot of them have similar items. I used to do a bunch of different guides but think it makes more sense just to do a few. These products I am sharing today are all items I own and use regularly. I love these products and think they would make great gifts for others. Everything is at different price points too! 

Revlon One Step Hair Dryer // Spartina Beaded Bracelet // Tarte Shape Tape Concealer // Mackenzie Childs Vase // When Less Becomes More Book // Apple Watch // Kendra Scott Elisa Necklace // Vitamix Blender// Apple AirPods Pro // Dip Well Dip Kit // Vineyard Vines Jeans // Yeti 30oz Rambler // Kate Space Initial Necklace // Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara // Supergoop Unseen Suncreen // Matouk Blanket // Emily Ley Citrus Notepad // Adidas Ultraboost Sneakers // Columbia Winter Coat // LL Bean Moccasins // Staedtler Pens 

Gift Guide: Small Business

I think we can all agree that this year has for sure had its challenges. With that said there are some really positive things that have come out of this year. One thing for me has been discovering and really focusing on supporting smaller businesses. I have always loved following along with small businesses on Instagram and supporting where I can but this year I have found myself buying more from these smaller brands. Even at work when buying a gift or flowers for someone I try to purchase from a local store. I know I have mentioned it before on here but one of my dreams is definitely to have a small business of my own some day. I love how many different "hats" you get to wear while running a small company. This holiday season is the perfect time to support local shops and shop small especially in these challenging times. I think more times than not the gifts end up being way nicer quality anyways! I would love to know what your favorite smaller brands are. There are just too many to include them all but I had so much fun putting all these ideas together! 

 

 

Emily Ley Pencil Pouch // Lake Pajamas // Clovertree Apothecary Hand & Body Lotion // Onderkast Girl Gang Print // Allie + Bess Rainbow Pink Bracelet // Little Words Project Faith Bracelet // Scout Laptop Case // Seabags Tote // For Pete's Sake Pottery Mug // Pet Scout Shop Dog Bandana // Clay Ornaments // Sprinkled with Pink Painted Denim Jacket // Nest Boutique Initial Necklace // Evelyn Henson Happiness Calendar // Dudley Stephans Fleece Pullover // E Newton Designs Ring // Lindsey Leigh Diamond Necklace // Mi Golondrina Blouse // House Of Shan Heart Sweatshirt // Tiny Tassel Star Earrings // Stoney Clover Rainbow Cosmetic Bag // Morgan Julia Designs Needlepoint Flag Sweater Canvas // Dogwood Hill Notecard // Kelly Wynne Crossbody // Chappywrap Blanket // White Elephant Design Nightshirt // Edson Coffee Subscription 

 

September & October Favorites

I am finally getting around to sharing my favorites from the past two months. I really didn't have much to share at the end of September so I combined it with my October favorites. Work has been so busy lately I just have not had the time to get posts up at the end of the night. As usual I have a random mix of items but they are all some great products. 

 

Budget Planner // This is not for everyone but if you love a paper planner than you might also love a paper budget tracker. I tried all sorts of fancy apps but nothing was exactly what I wanted and I was not motivated to keep up with it. I got this mini tracker and it has been a great way to keep track of my spending. 

Old Navy Fall Haul

Happy November! The last few weeks have been crazy between work, random things, my health, and I was away on a weekend trip. I am definitely looking forward to the upcoming holiday season and I decorated my apartment with holiday decor this past weekend. I have lots of posts idea to go along with the season it's just fitting everything in a day to have time to work on the posts :) 

I have been wanting to add a few fall pieces to my closet and have not found anything I was in love with. I decided to take a trip to Old Navy because I always seem to have luck finding fall/winter pieces there and you can't beat the prices. Sure enough, I found a few items that I was loving. The sizing was all over the place so I am including my size below. I ended up ordering everything online after going into the store because it seemed like a better deal that way.

These joggers might be my favorite item. They are so freaking comfortable and a little different than just normal yoga pants. I think I might have to add a second pair to my closet! 

Orange Crew Neck Sweater (small) // Green Striped Sweater (small) // Long Sleeve Henley (small) // Joggers (x-small) // Tan Striped Shirt (medium) // Grey V Neck Shirt (medium)

Apartment Tour: Bathroom & Kitchen

I am finally getting around to sharing my last part of my apartment tour series. Last week I took the week to basically do nothing after working because I was not feeling too hot and had a bad flair thus had to go for a few doctor appointments. Not to worry I am back feeling much better this week and excited to share some new posts with you. My bathroom and kitchen area are really not that exciting but I do love the few pieces I added decor wise to tie in the color palette with the rest of my place. 

Apartment Tour: Bedroom

Today I am sharing my bedroom which I love how it turned out. I bought these Lilly Pulitzer pillowcases and pretty much made that the color palette throughout my room. I never had a white comforter before but I love how versatile it is. If I ever get sick of the colors all I have to do is switch out the pillows and blanket and it has a whole different feel! 

 

Apartment Tour: Living Room

If you missed yesterdays post I am going to be sharing my apartment with you this week. Yesterday I featured my office so today I am sharing my living room, front entrance and bar cart. The bar cart was my most recent area I worked on and I love the way it came out! I tried to link everything below or similar items. If it is not from Ikea then pretty much everything else is from Home Goods. 

Apartment Tour: My Office

If I am being completely honest these past few days I felt so unmotivated in pretty much all aspects of my life. I like having things to look forward to and funs plans (I HATE being board) but obviously with Covid that makes things kind of hard. Even with my blog I have just felt a little blah about what to post. I got the idea to do an apartment tour this week and showcase all the different areas of my apartment. I am really excited about this series especially because I pretty much have everything now that I wanted to decorate/finish my apartment. I have lived in my place for about a year and 4 months. I love how much space my apartment has especially with Covid I spent way more time in my place than I ever thought I would. 

I thought I would start with the office space first since I have been spending lots of time in here. This was really the only apartment I looked at that had an extra room for a desk. In the layout it was labeled as a den/dining room but my living room is so big I didn't really need it for that. Thank goodness I bought a desk because working from home now I use it quite often. As we go through the different areas of my apartment you will notice pretty much all my furniture is from Ikea because your girl was balling on a budget and I do love the simple look of their furniture. I am going to try to link everything I can find below! 

Fall Bucket List 2020

 If you missed it the other week I posted a fall clothing inspiration list and so today I am going to share a fall bucket list! I used to make bucket lists for the different seasons all the time but I don't think I have done one in years. I have been seeing quite a few other bloggers post fall ideas and I thought I would join in on the fun! I didn't include a ton of basic fall things I normally would either because of Covid or they are things I have already done. I was going to create this list a week or two ago but time got away from me. I have already decorated for fall and picked out pumpkins at the farmers market! I would love to know what fall things you are up to this year. 

I hope everyone is able to enjoy the season and make the most out of the last few months of the craziest year. I know I am looking forward to the rest of the fall and the holidays being home with family! Work has been kind of crazy the last week so sorry I have been a bit MIA on here. 

1. Bake homemade apple cider donuts // I use to love a fresh hot apple cider donut but have not had one in a few years now because they are never gluten-free. I was looking on Pinterest the other day and found a few recipes for baked donuts that I could use gluten-free flour with. I am going to try to make them at some point! 

Fall Wish List

Happy Fall! Today is the first day of fall so I guess this post worked out to post today even though I have been planning on posting this for days now. A pipe in my apartment wall burst over the weekend and flooded my kitchen. So needless to say things have been a bit crazy and my life feels like it is in shambles lol. So glad I am finally getting around to post this. I love cozy fall pieces but this year I am definitely attracted to more loungewear pieces as I am working from home. I am loving all the animal print and tan colors!

White J Crew Factory Blouse // J Crew Factory Cheetah Sweater // Dudley Stephens Turtleneck // Old Navy Printed Blouse // Dolce Vita Sneakers // Old Navy Sports Bra // J Crew Denim Shirt // Impeccable Pig Shorts // Red Dress Boutique Dress // J Crew Factory Printed Leggings // Abercrombie Printed Pullover // Abercrombie White Pullover // Target Black Slides // Target Animal Printed Mules 

How I Adopted My Corgi & Advice After One Year

Yesterday marked one year since I adopted my Corgi Cooper! A few weeks ago I posted my must have dog products but I never really shared the story of how I adopted him. So today I thought I would do just that. I also am going to include some advice I learned along the way in this post as well. 

Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale & Wishlist

The Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is tomorrow morning at 8am until Tuesday night. This is the latest it has ever been at the end of the summer. It is also only two days instead of the 3-4 it usually is. They did have a smaller sale in the middle of the summer during quarantine so I am not sure what to expect from this sale. I have no clue what the selection will be like. I also usually go in with a list of items I am looking for after trying on items throughout the summer. I have only been to one Lilly store this summer so I don't have a ton of things I am really wanting. I also didn't wear much Lilly this summer so if anything I am looking for more tops and less dresses. I did create a small wish list of things that I am hoping are maybe on sale! Not all of this I would actually buy but more interested to see if its included. What items are you hoping to get in the sale? 

If you need more info about this sale check out this FAQ page! 

 

Alisa Wrap Dress // Mariella Top // Danette Sweater // Avena Top // Trisha Dress // Idara Top // Captain Popover // Headband // Francis Top // Tatum Cardigan // Crista Midi Dress 

My Go To Dinner Recipes (Dairy & Gluten Free) - Part 2

Back at the beginning of Covid, I shared a list of my favorite go-to recipes that I always reach for when looking for what to make. I have discovered quite a few amazing new recipes that I have added to my dinner rotation. Since Covid I have definitely been eating more at home so I have been able to try lots of new recipes. Just like the last posts all these recipes are easy to follow and can be modified to be gluten & dairy-free! 

Check out my original list here

1. Elevated Hamburger Helper // OMG I have made this at least three times and I love it because it has amazing flavor and is pretty easy to do. I had tried to make a goulash recipe a few months back and it did not turn out it was just too bland. This is the complete opposite of bland. I follow the recipe exactly and use the Jovial brown rice elbow pasta the recipe calls for. Since you are not boiling the pasta in water but instead you let the pasts soak up the beef broth I am afraid to use a different kind of GF pasta in case it would not work with this method. This step I think is key to it having lots of flavor. I usually add a little bit of non-dairy milk and for cheese, I use this Violife non-dairy cheese. 

Image source 

Life Lately (August in Review)

I have a ton of fun blog post ideas coming up that I am excited about! Today I thought I would share some photos I haven't shared yet that are from the past month. I did something similar back in July and I thought it was a fun post to update you on my life and share some pictures. Krista also recently did a similar post that I enjoyed reading. 

August started off very slow and quiet but it turned into a really great month with friends and I tried a few new restaurants. Even though I started off the month feeling a bit off I ended the month excited for the next few months and I am motivated to make the best of what the year has left even though this year has not been what I (or anyone) expected. 

I tried a new restaurant for lunch with a friend out in Frisco. It is called Heirloom Hall and it is a small cafe and lunch spot in with a thrift store. The food was really good and the place was super cute inside. I had a glass of froze and salad/sandwich combo. They had GF bread which was a nice bonus. I also tried their chocolate covered strawberries which were just as good. This place was the perfect afternoon lunch spot! 

August Favorites

Happy Labor Day weekend! I hope everyone has plans to take some time, relax and enjoy the outdoors. I am headed to a friends place for the night. Which I excited to get away from my apartment for the night. Another new month means another new month of favorites... 

 

1. Waterloo Peach // I tried this brand of sparking water in watermelon and didn't love it but when I saw this peach flavor at Whole Foods it sounded very refreshing. This flavor tastes exactly like peach and I love it! I love peach tea but this is a much healthy alternative. 

Book Review: Such A Fun Age

This past month I have been doing a fair bit of reading between sitting at the pool, spending time at the beach and while traveling. I have another book review today for a novel from Reese's book list. I would love any recommendations you have for books I should read next! 

Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid 

  
Overview: This is Kiley's first novel which is about a young black woman Emira who nannies part-time for a well off white family. One night at the supermarket Emira is confronted by a store employee because of how she is dressed. While the family tries to fix the situation Emira comes to realize some hard realities about the family she is working for. There are lots of truths that are uncovered on both sides as both Emira and the family struggle with what the truth really is. 
Review: I can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't love this book but I felt it was lacking a bit. While the plot was interesting it kind of moved a bit slow to me. The book kept my interest enough to keep reading it but it didn't get overly juicy I didn't think until about halfway through. I will say that I had no clue how the book was going to end which definitely made me want to keep reading. There were also points in the plot where I didn't know where the plot was exactly going. I will say the author did a really good job of making me feel and see each character's point of view. This story is what I would consider a coming of age store but it has deep roots tied to race that makes it more complex. The race piece made the story very eye-opening and confusing. Every time I thought one thing I would read another character viewpoint on the incident and be more confused about who was in the "right". While I would not say this was my all-time favorite book it did get me thinking of what other books I want to read around this topic of race and how complex it really is. 
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 ⭐

Happy National Dog Day: My Dog Must Haves

Hey guys the last few weeks I have not been feeling amazing and I was away last weekend but have missed posting! Today is national dog day and I thought it would be fun to share all my favorite dog related items. For those of you who don't know I adopted an older corgi named Cooper a little less than a year ago. Previous to that my family had never owned a dog before so I kind of learned as I went with regards to what products were a must (and I am still learning). Cooper has a very sensitive stomach so most of the items I am sharing are geared towards this. 

PS: Cooper really is not too into plush toys or dog beds so I don't have any recommendations in that department. Covid boredom has been getting to him so if you have any recommendations in that department let me know!

1. Dog Bowl Maze // This is one of the first products I ever bought for him and it is a must if you have a dog that is a super fast eater like Cooper is. He would eat his food in about 5 seconds if he could. This is pretty affordable and makes him slow down at least a little bit. 

Book Review: The Lies That Bind

I am a HUGE Emily Giffin fan and I have read most of her books. I was looking on Amazon and there are still a few older ones that I need to read. I love the plot of each of her books while they are definitely a more girly beach read each one always has a unique plot you never can quite guess. Her books always make me want to keep reading from the very beginning! Which is what I need otherwise I lose interest pretty quickly. 

Overview: This is the newest book from Emily Giffin and it is about a women who moves to New York City to pursue a career in Journalism. After a tough break up she meets a guy and they immediately have a connection. Then 9/11 happens and her whole world changes. Her life she lived, the job she had, the guy she started to fall for and her family are all put into perspective. Everything starts changing as more secrets about the guy she thought she was falling for are revealed. I don't want to give too many spoilers away but man are there a lot :) 

Review: This might be one of my all time favorite books of hers up there with All We Ever Wanted. While I would consider this book a romance novel I really enjoyed it because the story is not your traditional storyline. Just the 9/11 plot alone made this book quite unique but there are so many other parts of that story that you never see coming. She really develops each character and from the very beginning I was hooked. The ending was also really well done. It wrapped up the story but it was not some completely unrealistic ending. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 ⭐

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2020 Picks

I normally don't shop the Nordstrom sale for a few reasons. Mainly because it is normally right around my birthday and I also like to save up my spending money for the big Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale that is normally at the end of August. I also feel like a lot of the clothing items are not really worth the price. Yes they are a deal but a lot of the items you could find at Target, Old Navy or J Crew. Everyone has their own preferences on what they want to spend their own money on. I guess for me a lot of the Nordstrom items are not worth it. This year I did decide to go through the site and see what they had. Mainly because you can preview the items this year before shopping. I can't shop until August 13th with my Nordstrom card and it opens to everyone else on August 19th so a few items I found I included here are already sold out! 

Items I Own That Are Worth The Deal: 
1. Patagonia Los Gatos Vest 2. Patagonia Better Sweater 3. Bombas Socks (Currently Sold Out Online) 4. Adidas UltraBoost Sneakers 5. Natoria Bra 6. Natoria Underwear 7. Kate Spade Initial Necklace 
I am not sure if items will be restocked at all but here is all the info for the sale! 

Barefoot Dreams Leopard Cardigan // Barefoot Dreams Light Long Cardigan // Treasure & Bond Crewneck Sweater // Patagonia Los Gatos Vest // Patagonia Better Sweater // BP Joggers // BP Sweatshirt // BP Lounge Shorts // Roller Rabit PJS (Sold Out) // Barbour Quilted Coat // Bombas No Show (Sold Out) // Bombas Ankle Socks (Sold Out) // Adidas UltaBoost Sneakers// Tory Burch Sneakers // Natori Underwire Bra // Natori Cotton Underwear // Kate Spade Initial Necklace // Tory Burch Logo Stud Earrings // Diamond Stud Ring // Quay Sunglasses  

July Favorites

I don't have too many exciting things to share from July it's mainly food but thought I would still share the items! 

Peacock TV // This is a free streaming service that launched in July through NBC. If you are like me I don't pay for cable so this streaming service is a game changer. They have an app on the Apple TV which is how I have been watching. I have been on a major trashy reality tv trend and have been watching lots of Real Housewives. Right now I am watching Dallas. They also have the newest season of Suits! 

Week In Hilton Head Island & Thoughts On Traveling

Last week I took my first full week of PTO since I started my new job last summer. I went to Hilton Head with my mom and sister for the week. We rented an Airbnb and had the best time spending the week at the beach. Seriously one of the most relaxing trips I have had in a long time. Obviously, this tip looked much different than other years past when we have gone to HHI. I wanted to share my experience and thoughts around traveling right now during the pandemic to maybe help others who are torn with what to do. I also wanted to share a mini travel log of what we did during the week because HHI has a special place in my heart. I worked on the island one summer during college and I have never found a beach I love more! 

Life Lately

Hi y'all I feel like it has been forever since I have just sat down and updated you on what I have been up to. I thought today I would share some recent random photos some of which I have already posted on my Instagram. 

My sister flew in at the end of June and her plans changed about three or four different times. Her original trip was going to be a short weekend trip. Then she extended it to the 4th of July. Then when NY came out with additional travel restrictions she decided to stay for the month and fly back after our beach vacation next week. It has been so nice having company after doing nothing for two months. We aren't doing much but eating lots and spending time outside but it has been so nice. It is just so weird not to be able to plan any trips or outings. I had so many fun things planned for the year so it sucks that now I pretty much have nothing going on. The hardest part for me is that I am still relatively new to Dallas and have so much I wanted to explore in Texas and new people to meet! We were planning on going on a weekend road trip for the 4th of July but ended up canceling due to some things that came up. Next week we are taking a trip to the beach which will be my first time away from my apartment since March. I am so ready to get out of town for the week but am obviously a bit nervous. We have no plans other than just sitting at the beach which sounds amazing! 

I am still working from home but I have to say I kind of miss the office and having a routine during the week. I especially miss workout classes and just my daily work schedule. I did try out the gym for one day but decided to continue to put my membership on freeze as TX is not doing great with cases. August is going to be another pretty uneventful month but I am hoping to maybe do a day trip or two with one of my close friends. 

I hope y'all are hanging in there through all of this. It is such a weird year of events I don't know what to even think about everything. 

Target Dress 

A few weeks ago we tried a new restaurant for dinner Bellagreen. The salad I got was so good! It felt great to be able to get dressed up and sit outside. I am loving this dress I picked up at Target. 

Weekly Wellness: What Supplements I Take Daily

Finally getting this posted after working on this for way too long. The Real Housewives of Orange Country got in the way of my productivity. I started binging the last few seasons with my sister!

I have not done a wellness-related post in what feels like forever so today I thought I would share the supplements I take on a daily basis. I started taking these supplements about three years ago when I went to see a nutritionist at the height of my health problems. I did a blog post a while ago talking all about my thoughts about my Nutritionist experience. While I am still not sure to what extent they are worth the money she did provide me with some great supplement suggestions that I think made a big difference. These supplements are quite pricy so I am going to narrow down the list to also share which I think provides the most benefit. 

Before we dive into the post I want to make it clear I am in no way a doctor. I just wanted to share what supplements I take and has been recommended to me. Definitely talk to your doctor if you have questions! 

Morning: 

1. Magnesium // This I actually started taking after a recommendation from my neurologist. It is supposed to help with migraine headaches. This supplement is pretty inexpensive and I think it does help with headaches but only to a certain extent. It is not going to completely get rid of migraines but I think it does make a difference. 

June Favorites

 Happy July! Today I am sharing with you all my favorites from the past month. It is a random mix of things but I think they are all pretty useful. 

Healthmate Forever TENS Unit // My doctor recommended this to me to help with my shoulder and neck pain I often have. I have used a similar system to this at the PT and Chiropractor but those are more high tech. I was not expecting this to be so powerful but it works so good for the price. I have used it on my shoulders a few times and it has really helped. If have any pain or muscle soreness I highly recommend this. 

Lilly Pulitzer & Dallas Arboretum

My sister came to visit me last week which is why I have not posted as much recently. She is actually going to stay now for about a month as Covid travel rules keep changing for NY and she is off of school. So I get to have some company for a while which is nice! Last week we went to the Dallas Arboretum in the evening and walked around. It was the perfect night and I was able to get some awesome pictures. Right now they are letting people bring in food to have a picnic in the park. So many people were doing this. We definitely want to go back at some point and bring pizza! If you live in the Dallas area and are looking for something to do right now that is Covid friendly I highly recommended going to the arboretum. The flowers are so pretty!

I have not posted a "formal" outfit post in so long! This dress is one I got at the end of the summer on sale and I love the style of it. Lilly is having a summer sale right now that ends tonight. While I was excited for this sale in the middle of the summer I was not very impressed. They didn't have much in stock in a small so I didn't pick anything up. Hopefully the annual after party sale will be more successful. 

Dress: Lilly Pulitzer // Sandals: Jack Rogers / Sunglasses: Ray Ban

4th Of July Inspiration

4th of July is right around the corner and there is nothing I love more than a red, white & blue combo! The 4th is one of my favorite holidays and while it is going to look much different this year I am still excited to put some cute outfits on and celebrate. I love all the things on this list and had lots of fun putting it together. I am going to wear this USA tank I ordered! 

I would love to know how everyone is celebrating this year social distance style! I am headed to a cabin with my sister for a few nights. 

Sail To Sable Tunic // Vineyard Vines Scalloped Bikini Top & Bottoms // Vineyard Vines Striped Pullover  // Target Tie-Dye Dress // Vineyard Vines Sun Hat // Target USA Tank Top // Old Navy Striped Swing Dress // Old Navy Tie-Dye Sweatshirt // Target Red Dress // Mi Golondrina Embroidered Dress // Vineyard Vines Tassel Earrings // Target Tie-Dye T-Shirt // Old Navy Striped Blouse // Mi Golondrina Hair Tie // Havaiana Flip Flops // Mi Golondrina Embroidered Blouse 

My Experience Moving Across Country

It is coming up on one year since I packed up and moved from Buffalo, NY to Dallas, TX. It was a whirlwind of a few weeks when I moved. I was excited about the move but also VERY nervous about it. I felt like I could have used some tips and advice on where to even start. So I wanted to share everything I did when moving. Things that worked well and things that I would have changed! Once I accepted my job I had to hit the ground running to find an apartment and move within a month to start my new job. 

How Did I Find Apartments To Tour? 

Since I didn't know the city well at all I used an apartment locator to help curate a list of possible places for me. I had never heard of this service before but most bigger cities have apartment locators. They work with you to come up with a list of available apartments. The one I worked with did not charge a fee but instead, when you sign with an apartment you listed the locator company. They then received a small commission from the lease I signed. 

Father's Day Gift Guide

If you can believe it Father's Day is next Sunday June 21st! Don't worry I have not gotten anything either but we still have time. I wanted to share some gift ideas that I think would make great gifts at all different prices. I wanted to include items that most guys need/use in a more "luxury" version that they may not ever buy for themselves. Like this really soft workout shirt or this carry-on duffle.

Outdoor Voices Workout Shirt // Yeti Skinny Can Holder // Adidas Ultraboost // Jack Daniel's Coffee // Bombas Dress Socks // Corkcicle Ice Wedge // Smather's & Branson Coasters // Away Weekend Canvas Bag // Phone Car Vent Holder // LL Bean Pullover 

May Favorites

Happy Friday! I don't even know where to start as so much has happened in the past week. A week ago today several small businesses got luted in downtown Dallas which lead to a curfew being put in place. Then you have the much needed black lives matter movement that is hopefully that start of bigger changes. On top of that Cooper, my corgi has been kind of sick all week. So ya it has been a draining week. I have been sharing resources I find helpful over on my Instagram related to racism. I may eventually compile a blog post with links I find helpful and my thoughts surrounding the issues of racial injustice but for now, I am still process and researching.

It is hard to believe yet another month has passed. It is so weird to think how many months have already gone by in this year but not too much has happened in my day to day life. I wanted to share some of my favorites from the past month and things I have been enjoying. It is funny that pretty much everything is either food or fitness related as that pretty much sums up what I have been up to these days.

1. Starbucks Violet Drink // If you love Starbucks refresher drinks and have not tried this one I highly recommend it. I had never even heard of it until my mom told me about it. It is SO good! It reminds me of a mix between the pink drink and dragon drink but not as sweet.

How I Curl My Hair Using A Straightener

A few weeks ago I shared my hair care routine and I have been meaning to share how I curl my hair using a straightener. So I finally got around to filming the video this past weekend. I have used everything from a traditional curling iron to a curling wand. I find this way of using my straightener is super quick and easy. I don't have to worry about getting a crease from the clamp or burning my hand with a wand. This BaByliss Pro straightener heats on the outside which makes it perfect for curling. I have had this straighter for years and I swear by it. It's seriously THE BEST! I hope I did a good job explaining how I curl it. Once you try it a few times I find it easy to get the hang of.

Happy Memorial Day & Swimsuit Top Pics

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend! I spent Saturday laying by the pool and it was SO nice. Yesterday I was able to get a run in before the rain came in the afternoon which lasted pretty much all of today. I love having three day weekends and am not wanting to go back to work tomorrow. At least it's a short week!

I have been loving all the swimsuits I have been seeing recently so I wanted to share some of my top picks. There is definitely a trend of stripes, off the shoulder, and ruffles 😁 

J Crew Factory Off The Shoulder One Piece // J Crew Factory Rainbow Striped Bikini Top // J Crew Factory Rainbow Striped Bikini Bottom // Aerie Green Floral Bikini Top // J Crew Blue Striped One Piece / J Crew Gingham Bikini Top // Aerie Black Cutout One Piece // J Crew Red Off The Shoulder Bikini Top // Aerie Blue Striped Bikini Top // Athleta Tie-Dye Bikini Top // Summer Salt Blue and Striped Bikini Top

Memorial Day Weekend Sale Roundup

TGIF! It feels extra nice because the sun is shining and it's a three day weekend. Even though work was pretty quiet for me this week I am so ready for the weekend. I had a pretty rough weekend last week between it raining ALL DAY Saturday and a trip to immediate care which is a story for another day. Needless to say I need a nice weekend to relax and recharge. It goes without saying that I am going to try to make the most of yet another holiday celebrated away from friends and a change in plans. This weekend my friends were planning a trip to NYC to visit one of my best friends from high school. Obviously that trip is no more so I plan to spend some time at the pool, have a cookout, make some cocktails, and venture out to Target for a much-needed trip. I haven't been to Target in literally months. I hope everyone is able to enjoy the holiday and relax! 

Today I decided to start the weekend off right with a proper festive outfit! Nothing special but loving this casual look. 

Top: Old from J Crew Factory / Shorts: Abercrombie / Necklace: Kendra Scott / Earrings: Kendra Scott / Bracelet: Made myself but this is very similar (Allie & Bess) 

With retail stores mostly being closed and the long weekend I expect some of the sales to be extra good. So I wanted to round up some of my favorite stores that currently have a sale going on. Some of these sales may be even better come Monday! 

Abercrombie // 40 to 60% off everything plus an extra 15% off sale (no code needed) 

Draper James // 40% off sale styles (no code needed)  

Gap // 50% off everything with code WARM

J Crew // Up to 60% off with code HISUMMER

J Crew Factory // 50 to 60% off everything (no code needed)

Kelly Wynne // 25% off sale items (no code needed) 

Kendra Scott // 20% off everything (no code needed) 

Lilly Pulitzer // Free Tumbler with $100 purchase (no code needed) 

Loft // 50% off and free shipping with code FRIEND 

Old Navy // Tees, tanks, shorts and swim 50$ off (no code needed) 

Target // BOGO on swimsuits and sandals plus sales on outdoor and summer items (no code needed) 

Tarte // $25 for a bunch of their popular items. Sale ends TONIGHT but they may have another sale on Monday.

The Impeccable Pig // 20% off everything with the code PARTYINTHEUSA

Tuckernuck // 25% off sale style with code BERRY25 

One Year Post Graduation & My Advice

It is hard to believe that it has been a whole year since I graduated from college last year. Part of it seems like it was just yesterday and part of it feels like it was forever ago. I can't imagine graduating right now not knowing how the world will look a month for now. The added stress that brings is just SO hard considering how much I struggled in a normal graduation season. I think that graduating from college is hands down one of the most challenging things. It's not like high school where most people graduate and go right into college. Once you graduate from college there are so many different things. You can go for more schooling, look for a job, move, travel and the list goes on. I thought I would share my perceptive from college graduation and my advice for new graduates.

 

What I Have Been Watching During Quarantine

Happy Friday! I missed the blog this week but I was SO busy this week with work that by the end of the day I just didn't have the motivation to get a post up. I also just had a blah weekend last week so I am looking forward to making the most of the weekend and hopefully getting outside.  In any other situation I would be ashamed to share how many tv shows I have been watching but I think at this point anything goes. I shared a list of tv shows back at the end of March with current tv shows I was watching and my favorites. I have a ton of shows on that list but I wanted to share with you what I have been watching the past month or two. 

Saturday Shopping

This past week I had a busy work week and if I am being honest I have kind of hit a wall this weekend. You can only go so many weekends without doing much before it gets to you. Today I did get out for a walk, grab a Starbucks, and picked-up dinner. I have a few fun posts I am hoping to get up this week. Although those posts will take a bit more time and effort and today I was just feeling some online shopping. I thought it would be fun to share a bunch of random things that I have recently come across that I really think are cute! 

Scout Skinny Can Cooler // KJP Rose Sweatshirt // Tuckernuck Striped Dress // Monogram Tote // Etsy Quarantine Cards  // Container Store Spice Containers // Tuckernuck Gingham Top 

Haircare Must Haves

In the last few weeks, I have shared a few skincare posts (here // here) so I thought I would share my must-have haircare products I can't live without. I pretty much have been using all these hair products for years now and swear by them. My hair is very thick, frizzy, and wavy so I need lots of products to help it out! I also filmed a corresponding video in case you want more in-depth information about any of the products. I will say that pretty much all of these items are "salon brands" but I think they are totally worth the money. I also try to get deals from Ulta as much as I can. For the shampoo and condition, I always make sure to stock up when Ulta is running their jumbo sale which is normally twice a year. I try to go about 3-4 days in between washes so I wash it at night before bed. When it comes to styling I typically will straight it and every so often curl it with the straighter (going to share a tutorial on this soon). If I happen to not wash my hair at night I will either scrunch it and let it air dry or use the Revlon volumizing hair dryer which gives the BEST at-home blowout (review here).