Jake and I went on an amazing date recently and it was one of the highlights of 2020. What was it? Oh we went to Starbucks and Target to walk up and down every single aisle as we stocked up on fall decor. Seems silly but it was the most normal thing we did all year and brought us a glimpse of our normal routines back in 2019. We (I) love Target so we would often go browse on weekends when we had nothing to do and pick up some home decor. Once we got back to Philly, we cleaned up the house and put away summer home decor to make room for pumpkins. This year a lot of my home decor from Target came from the bullseye playground which is overflowing with amazing fall items. I’m buying a lot of fake pumpkins from Target since we probably won’t make it to a pumpkin patch this year. 2020 is a weird year so we are making the best of the seasons changing and going all out with decorating our home for fall! Target always has amazing items that perfectly match with last years Target haul which makes it easy to decorate our home. I’m also really excited about this GOURD-GEOUS door mat😉
The last few months I have not been writing on the blog as much because I was staying with my family in North Carolina and left my laptop in a drawer. It was nice to spend time with my family and be outside in the backyard or pool. I read a lot, spent a lot of time maintaining their garden and reading in the back screened in porch. For some reason, I packed two big suitcases of clothes with me thinking I would wear a lot of clothes when I actually spent most of my day in a bathing suit. While I was there I ordered a few affordable bathing suits to try and they quickly became favorites!
Any local knows that local summer is the best time to order swimwear because that is when swimwear goes on sale. Growing up a beach kid I’ve always loved buying new swimwear and pieces I knew I could wear into the ocean without worrying they would get ruined. I have a handful of investment pieces that I bought on major sale and fun affordable pieces that are trendy but didn’t break the bank.
Right now Philly is experiencing a cold front so I’m hoping we get some warmer weather soon so I can lay out in our backyard a few more times before fall is officially here! This summer I had the opportunity to be outside everyday (with sunscreen!) for 3 months so it’s the tannest I have honestly ever been. Of course I’m tan and more fit but no one can see it because we are quarantining! If you can’t tell, I’m not ready for summer to be over!
While everyone is freaking out about not being ale to get a haircut I’m more concerned about not being able to get my blonde highlights touched up! I’ve been investing in the right products for my hair to keep it healthy until I get a trim. It takes a lot of work to get shiny and healthy hair but it gets easier when you use amazing products like Clairol. It’s a company that has been around forever and there is a reason why.
For years I used Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo to keep my hair blonde and get rid of the brassy color that happens over time. I like to use it once a week and leave it in my hair for 10-15 minutes while I wash up.
Now I’m even more excited because Clairol has a Shimmer Lights Violet Toning Mask and Shimmer Lights Thermal Shine Spray. The mask is definitely a blonde’s best friend! After washing your hair leave the mask on for 5 minutes to condition and tone your blonde hair to keep it bright and shiny. It strengthens your hair over time
Every blonde knows that taking care of blonde hair means keeping it conditioned and protected from heat. Shake and spray the Shimmer Lights Thermal Shine Spray onto your hair before heat styling. I like to use it in the morning when I style my hair to help tame frizz and flyaways to get that extra shine. My hair feels smooth and protects my hair from heat tools without feeling heavy or greasy.
I trust the Clairol Shimmer Lights line to keep my blonde bright and shiny! I’ve been using Clairol for a long time. Products in this post were received complimentary but as always, all opinions are my own.
Holy moly where did July go!? Wrapping up July with really hot days and lots of pool time to cool off. This week was definitely busy and I was excited for the routine. We are expecting family to stay at my moms house for a few months to get a change of scenery while we quarantine. So we have been busy getting the house cleaned and decorated for their visit. This weeks Friday Favorites post is being posted late because I just found out it is Friday. I’m on summer time and days don’t count! Luckily, I keep a post it in my planner to write down a favorite thing every day and start a draft of this post on Mondays.
I woke up this morning terrified that I forgot to pay rent this month because I forgot it was August. Don’t worry, rent was paid back in late July but now that seems so long ago. Jake and I were talking today about how the days seem to be getting longer. I woke up early this morning and had breakfast with my family which was a nice way to start the day. I checked my emails and did some browsing because J Crew is having their big summer sale. While I saw a lot of cute things I would love to have, my bank account reminded me that I don’t currently have a job or any plans to leave the house in the next year. I worked outside, finished my book and did a few laps in the pool. I came inside thinking it was past dinnertime and it was only 4pm! These days are long! I’m in bed before 10pm most nights because the days feel so long that I’m ready for bed earlier and earlier!
For now, I spend my days outside as much as I can. I like to work on projects in the backyard like tending the garden or working on some landscaping project. Honestly pulling weeds takes up most of my day! Hurricane Isaias went through North Carolina so I’ve been sweeping up debris all week. Luckily, our home did not have any damage but we did lose electric for the night and most of the morning. Not fun with no AC and the Southern heat. With all of that time outside and quick dips in the pool to cool off, I haven’t had to use any of the fake tanner that I brought with me. I can’t remember the last time I was this tan! Waking up early has helped my mental health which I thought I would never say. I start to get “bored” around 4 or 5 o’clock so I’ve been going to my parents library or laying in a pool float while I read. My goal is to read a book a month and I’ve been keeping up. I recently created a Goodreads account which has been fun to keep track of what I’ve read and what I want to read.
At night I’ve been cleaning the kitchen before bed which is my little alone time where I load the dishwasher and wipe down the counters. Most importantly, I watch an episode of TV while I do it. I’ve been really good at not watching TV when I’m bored or for something to do. For months when we all were first stuck at home, my day revolved around the TV and now I limit myself to the news in the morning and then an episode at night while I clean. Last month I finished The Real Housewives of Dallas and have moved onto The Real Housewives of Potomac. I’m currently on the second season and it’s getting good!
I mentioned earlier that I created a Goodreads account so you can keep up with what I’m reading for suggestions. I finished reading Tidelands by Philippa Gregory today actually. I’ve been reading a lot of chick lit this summer which has been nice but wanted to switch it up with some historical fiction. I’ve been a long time fan of Philippa Gregory and was excited to see this book on sale when I ran errands a few weeks ago.
It was a good mail week so I’m excited to bring a lot of product reviews to the blog in the next few weeks! I’m keeping my routine simple since I am in the pool almost every day so it doesn’t make sense to wear makeup or much product. I’ve been using Ouai Leave In Conditioner a lot to protect my hair with all of the hair washing which my hair isn’t a big fan of. My mom and I are both using my Loreal Scalp Care shampoo and conditioner and are big fans!
If you have been following my blog you will know that one of my goals this year was to use up every single product that I already own. My linen closet back in Philly is filled with products that I’ve purchased and received for free because of the blog. Quarantine has helped me slow down and really create some time for self care. When I packed for a summer at my parents, I brought a giant bag with a ton of products and I’m on my 3rd bottle of lotion so far! The sales at Bath and Body Works are great but I end up with so much stuff I never use. Seems silly to be excited about that but I really want less clutter in my life in every single way. I’ve also been leaving my nighttime moisturizer on my night stand to help remind me to put it on at night.
I haven’t left the house this week so I didn’t do any in store shopping but I do have some Amazon purchases on their way! After telling myself that I didn’t need them for months, I finally ordered the plastic heart sunglasses from Amazon that are like $10. Jake also told me to keep an eye on the door because he has shipped some items to me. Can’t wait to see what is on it’s way! Not beauty related but I am currently obsessed with Oui yogurt. Yes, I bought it because the jar was cute but now I’ve been buying them because it’s delicious and way more filling than my usual morning yogurt.
Starbucks bottled iced coffee. Going to the garden in the evening to pick tomatoes off the vine. Cooking dinners. Snapple iced tea. Oui yogurt. My new seashell bath mat. My mom got me new girly bedding for my room here. Tan lines. Noticing my body getting toned and getting fit. Box hair color. Facetime movie date night with Jake. Cookout drive thru for lunch last week. Gorgeous sunsets this week. Minion shaped chicken nuggets. The Calm App.
I didn’t know I needed new shoes until I went to a DSW in Raleigh because they were open. We went for my mom to get new shoes and I walked out of there with 4 boxes of shoes! Their clearance section has so many amazing brands and shoes for all seasons at unbelievable prices. I was able to purchase some amazing booties and shoes to wear right now with the warmer weather. Recently they just added half a million shoes to clearance to make room for fall shoes so take advantage of these amazing deals! DSW has different promotions and additional sales on top of clearance so I was able to get 4 pairs of shoes for $100. It never hurts to browse and buy shoes for a season you are not currently in because your future self will thank you for a good deal.
What I’ve noticed with DSW is that shoes I see in the famous Nordstrom Sale or are popular one year are often at DSW the next year. I like shoes but don’t need to have the most current style because honestly, they don’t change that often. DSW also carries current popular styles from name brands too so I like to shop from there first before I go anywhere else for new shoes.
MY HAUL
MARC FISHER PUMPS I am slowly buying this shoe in every single color because it is so comfortable! I currently have them in pink and black and just got a pair in leather ivory.
COLE HAAN MULE Now I need a reason to leave the house to wear these cute and comfortable mules with a block heel. Cole Haan makes amazing shoes and I love that I can always get them at an amazing price at DSW.
COLE HAAN BOOTIES Unfortunately, the booties I got are no longer available so I’m linking a very similar style from the same brand. All last year I was looking for a cute bootie that was waterproof that I could slip on and walk to the train to get to work instead of wearing sneakers or my nice work shoes. Now I can walk to work in comfortable shoes without sacrificing style!
SOLE SOCIETY BOOTIES There were so many booties in the clearance when I went to the store. I was able to buy these for a really good price and I remember seeing them at Nordstrom in the past.
ADIDAS SNEAKERS Here’s the thing, I don’t believe in spending $100 on sneakers because I plan on sweating and getting dirty in them! My Adidas sneakers were an impulse buy at Costco because they were on sale for less than $30 and I noticed that DSW sells the same ones for way less than are currently on sale at Nordstrom.
It is getting hotter in the South with no signs that fall is coming up! I’m still spending a lot of time outside and in the pool so I’m okay with summer taking it’s time before we switch to cooler weather. When I packed my suitcases, yes plural, to spend the summer at my parents in North Carolina I admit that I did over pack. It’s not summer until you wear those fun summer dresses, the cute tops and summer themed graphic tees! I’ve been getting up early every morning and enjoying a slow wake up with coffee while walking around the garden or working on my laptop. I get dressed every day in a cute outfit and wear a different swimsuit everyday. Outside my door there is a pandemic so I’m trying my best to accept this new normal and not letting it get in the way of my new routines.
I have one more week here in the South before Jake comes for a week vacation in September and then we load up the car to head back to Philadelphia. Now I’m scrambling to get as much time in the pool that I can and any errands that need to get done before we head back to the city. I’ll be sad to leave but I definitely miss my cat and my house and especially Jake. July always seems like a long month, I can’t even remember the 4th of July! In years past, August always flies by so I will enjoy summer mode as much as I can.
I spent my mornings in cozy pajamas drinking coffee, getting ready in the morning with a quick and easy makeup routine, and spending my afternoons in the pool with good sun protection. If you missed it, I shared a lot of blog posts about haircare so be sure to check them out. I covered my favorite leave in conditioners, and two new lines of shampoo with Love Beauty and Planet and Loreal. Since we don’t have a car in Philly, I’ve been borrowing my parents to run a few errands to stock up on items that we need and get some new home decor items. Finally, I like to do a big to do list for each day, month and basically a life to do list. I wrote a blog post about what I have been working on and things I should be doing mid-year. It’s a good read!
I hope everyone had a good July and got to enjoy some normal summer activities. If not, we still have August to make the most out of summer while we stay home. Ever since I’ve been doing one thing a day to bring me joy and happiness, it’s definitely improved my days.
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