Category: life

Friday Favorites 11.12

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I hope you all had a great and productive week! After being glued to the tv for a week, I was happy to put the remote down! I’ve been going on a long walk every day to enjoy the last few days of this gorgeous weather. As I say this it is pouring outside but honestly my legs are grateful for this break! A few months ago I thuught it would be great to start working out with all of this extra time that I had. I was committed to an ab workout every day and noticed zero changes with my body. Now that I have been moving and walking, I’ve been noticing my body getting stronger and my body slimming down. These long walks have also been great for my mental health. I’ve been noticing some people decorate for Christmas which I love! In our house, we are keeping the Christmas decorations in the basement for now since we willbe celebrating Thanksgiving just the two of us at home so I want the fall decor up. Dooesn’t stop me from ordering a few things here and there though!

This weekend we plan on going to Target to pick up some Christmas items from the dollar bin. I went last week and bought a ton of large items forgetting that I had to walk a mile home! It was a necessary purchase but comical as I struggled to walk home. Speaking of long walks, we also plan on doing a Trader Joe’s run this weekend to stock up on the Christmas themed snacks. I was joking the other day that I fall for cute marketing all the time and have no self control. Jake had to remind me that it wasn’t a good thing! Since this year is very different, I want to over decorate and really enjoy this holiday season. Jake and I are excited to work from home on the couch while watching Christmas movies on Freeform and bake cookies.

Watched the new movie, Rebecca, on Netflix the other night thinking I could have it on in the background while i cleaned my bedroom but was so captivated by the story. I had no clue what it was about before I pressed play and loved everything about it – the costumes, location and story line. The movie is based on a 1938 novel so I’ve added the book to my want to read list on Goodreads.

Speaking of Netflix, I also started to watch The Queen’s Gambit and once again, I had to stop what I was doing and watch this show. I know nothing about chess and I’m able to understand the plot. Also love a strong female lead in a male dominated game. Fun fact, in middle school I signed up for the chess club because I had a crush on a boy who was in it and I got kicked out…. because I didn’t know how to play! I wonder now what would have happened if someone taught me instead of just saying I couldn’t join because I was a girl.

Last week, we watched a lot of Steve Kornacki’s coverage of the board when the election numbers were coming in. Rumor has it that there is a petition to get his tie that he wore all week into a Smithsonian!

First, we need to talk about the breaking news this week that Ulta stores will be making their way into Targets. From a business decision it’s a great idea for Target and for the consumer, this allows us to be able to shop so many more products. In the last year, I’ve been working with new brands that are affordable and are in Ulta stores. These brands are clean and vegan with a commitment to good skincare and ingredients. If it weren’t through these collaborations, I may have never heard of some brands so I’m excited that with Ulta being in Targets, these amazing products will be more accessible.

One of these brands is Botanics and I’ve been loving the Simply Calm Overnight Mask. I’ll use it a few times a week and I swear my face feels so soft when I wake up in the morning.

I also shared recently on the blog my review of Covergirl’s Clean Fresh line. I’ve been using the mascara a lot since doing my makeup these days since my eyes are all you can see!

For anyone dealing with mascne (raises hand) I suggest using this quick drying foam to prevent breakouts from Dermalogica. It was great in the summer to prevent breakouts from sweat and now I’ve been using this foam in the morning if I have errands to run in the afternoon.

Just ordered a few items by the Sassy by Savannah collection so I will share photos and a review once I get them in!

Currently, I have a few things in transit on their way to my house and I am so excited. For now, I’ll just share the items that I have picked up recently like really affordable masks from Target that are really comfortable for wearing all day.

Last week I went into Nordstrom Rack to find a present for my moms birthday and ended up buying a few things for myself instead. I’ve loved the Rachel Parcell line even before it went to Nordstrom but it was never in my budget. I was excited to see a few pieces from the line at my local Nordstrom Rack that were heavily discounted. For the first time I got to see how well the pieces were made and the quality really does make it worth every penny full price. I picked up a few dresses and a top from the Rachel Parcell line, a Free People scarf that I fell in love last year and a super soft long sleeve top for lounging that was very discounted. I did notice that the prices in store were a bit lower than the online prices but I think that is because there has been less foot traffic in the stores. Also want to mention that the Madewell cardigan I shared earlier this week on the blog was also an incredible Nordstrom rack find!

Added new candlesticks to my fireplace mantle and I love the way they look! Very affordable and look very expensive with the antique gold finish. They are so good that I sent them to my mom for her birthday. I featured them on the blog this week here.

Currently reading The American Heiress and it’s going to take me a while to read but it’s such a beautiful bok to get lost in.

  • I (we) made cinnamon rolls from scratch on Sunday and it was definitely a learning experience but worth all of the work because they were delicious! I found the recipe here.
  • After being lazy for a while when it came to making dinner, we are back in the kitchen and I’m happy to be using fresh ingredients again. This week, Jake made a lasagna and I made breaded chicken strips with roasted carrots and broccoli with rice as well as our usual go-tos. Making a list of dinners for the week has helped us eat healthier and
  • A recent Sunday ritual is an hour long bath with bath salts and bubbles. I’ll prop my laptop so I can watch an episode or movie while in the bath and it’s a great way to make myself to slow down. My skin has also never been softer!
  • The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premiered this week and Jake’s first thought was “There’s another one?!” while I’m blasting the AC and wearing winter pajamas to get ready for another franchise.
  • We have a big tree in front of our house that from the second floor bedroom windows all you could see for weeks was the leaves changing to a gorgeous maroon color. With the wind and rain this week, most of the leaves have fallen making our front sidewalk look like a sea of leaves. It was sad to see them go but three giant trash bags later we got the sidewalk swept up. I love keeping the front of our house neat and clean which is a challenge in the city, but very rewarding.

What A Week

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I feel like I should start off by announcing it is Monday, November 9th like Governor Cuomo in New York did each day during the pandemic briefings. With last week’s election anxiety, its never ending news coverage that had all of us glued to the television waiting on results I found myself in a slump. There’s plenty to do to keep me busy during the day and I found it difficult to do any detailed task once I moved to the couch in my bathroom in the morning. Scrolling on social media, on said couch in the same bathrobe I wore basically all week, I noticed a lot of people also in the same spot glued to the television waiting for results to come in. There was a lot going on last week that kept us busy so this week I want us all to take a deep breath and put the remote down as we get back to work!

Slumps happen and last week was a justified reason for being in sweatpants all week while we were watching the news waiting for results to come in. At first I started to feel really guilty sitting on the couch all day. I would switch from different news channels to get different perspectives and binge watched Downton Abbey on Amazon Prime when I needed something light to watch. Jake was working 12 hour days in the office that week so he was out the door before the sun came up and would be coming home late and often doing more work from home. Both of us were not hungry so we often skipped dinner or just snacked while we watched Steve Kornacki at the board breaking down the numbers. Jake was sweet and told me not to stress and just hang out on the couch all day because it’s something he wished he could do. I’m embarrassed to say that we had a sink full of dishes by the end of the week because neither one of us had the energy to do the mundane things. I let myself live in the slump knowing that I could start fresh the next week which helped me take the time to relax and be lazy which is what my body needed.

After nights of staying up late, Jake and I were both in bed on our phones on Saturday morning when the results came in. We got a text from a friend we were in a group chat with all week sharing election updates to turn on the tv because Pennsylvania was called. We went running to our media room to turn on the tv and felt a sense of relief that the election was decided. I got to call my parents to tell them the news and it was good timing because they were with my brother in Raleigh. I had a few errands to run in Center City so Jake and I had an excuse to go out and enjoy the warm weather. I loved he energy in the city and the warm weather was just what my body needed. It was my first long walk in a week and my body hated and loved it at the same time. I forgot how much my body needed a long walk everyday. I have an alarm set on my phone everyday at 3pm to take a walk and listen to a podcast. Sometimes I’ll run an errand and other days I’ll just walk 20 blocks and look at the pretty Philadelphia architecture. I am also setting my alarm a bit earlier this week so I can have a slow morning with hot coffee and a mug of hot water with lemon. It’s a great way to start drinking a lot of water throughout the day and has health benefits too. After a week of only wearing pajamas and some days changing into different pajamas throughout the day, I’m ready to get back into some real clothes this week! I like to put on makeup a few times a week just so I can feel a bit more normal

I woke up today and headed straight for my office to get organized for the week. I pulled out my planner and made a long to do list. I put some items that need to be done this week and some things that I want to do this week for me because they bring me joy. Scheduling time for a face mask on Wednesday night, catching up on shows on Thursday afternoon, reading for an hour before bed and catching up on laundry on Tuesday. Later today I’ll find a day that works best for Jake and I to plan an outing maybe to get coffee or brunch next weekend so we have something to look forward to.

Being in a slump can feel like the worst way to spend your time but it’s usually a sign that your body needs a break. I’m so quick to get mad at myself when I don’t have the energy to do things or be productive or when I skip a daily walk but it’s usually because my body needs rest. This week I am planning out things to do and ways to relax in the evening. I love taking a long shower at night and then getting into bed after I apply lotion and my night cream to read my book. It’s the nights that I keep the tv off and get into bed early that I have the best sleep and wake up the next morning refreshed.

Take care of yourself and find ways that allow your body to get rest. The colder months are coming which means less sunlight and colder days that can cause seasonal depression. I’m creating routines now so I can be ready for environmental changes.

Plans for November

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Brr it’s chilly outside! It feels like over night November brought the the colder weather. Our heat kicked on for the first time in months and I’ve found myself bundling up in my bathrobe most of the day to stay warm. I’m sitting at my dining room table with a fall scented candle going drinking a warm cup of tea to warm me up. My planner is open and I’m starting to make plans for the month. November this year is going to look very different. As a family, we made the difficult decision not to be together for the holidays so we could stay home and be safe. I’ve always associated holidays with family so I’m going to have to make new traditions and create new ways to find joy this month.

I put together a list of things to do in November to get me excited about the beginning of the holiday season and ways to make new traditions. This time last year I was working long hours and Jake and I were exhausted when we got to Thanksgiving. I think it’s say to say that I slept like a full day once I got to my parents house because I was going going going. The perk this year is that Jake is only working in the office part time and my schedule is way more flexible now that I’m not working. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so I’m going to take advantage of both of us being able to spend this much time at home during the holiday season.

So let’s get started and make a plan on how we are going to celebrate the holidays differently this year.

Deep Clean Your Home

I like to do a deep clean of the house at the start of each month because it doesn’t take long when I do it often. I’m also planning to rearrange our furniture for our tree so I’m getting the house ready for Christmas decor.

Tackle An Organizing Project

I’m going to be packing up fall decor and taking out a lot of Christmas decor so I want to make this process as easy as possible. I like when everything in my house has a home so I can easily find, it, use it and then put it away. I’m sure when I’m cleaning the house I will find something that is driving me crazy and needs to organized. Also need ot make room for the winter layers now that the cold weather is here to stay!

Go Out to Dinner

We had so much fun the other night when we went out for a date night. Nowadays, going out to dinner requires some extra planning (making reservations and masking up). We have a list of places we want to support in our area and I want to take advantage of eating outdoors while the weather is still manageable. In the past we didn’t appreciate being able to go out to eat so now it’s really special when we go out.

Update Your Home Decor

Not sure why but I got bored with my home decor recently and I’ve been itching to move things around. Probably because I’ve been at home staring at the same wall for so long LOL Over the summer I had so much fun going to antique stores with my parents so I plan on going to a few local stores to see what I can find. Also love everything that target puts out including these new candlesticks I just recently purchased.

Sunday Traditions

When everyday feels like the same I’ve been making SUndays feel extra special with Sunday traditions. Pancakes or croissants for breakfast while we watch a movie in our pajamas on the couch. I like a slow start to the day and it’s been nice not to have to rush to do errands or do laundry because I have more time during the week to get stuff done. I usually take an hour long bubble bath at 8pm while watching an episode on my laptop with bath salts and candles. Sundays are truly lazy days in our house and it’s been a great reset. Then I head to bed early with a book after drying my hair and tidying up my room.

Support a Local Bakery or Cafe

I need to get a daily walk in everyday to keep me sane so we plan on heading to a bakery or cafe to pick up a coffee or sweet treat to warm up. In the spirit of making new traditions, I want to use this time to do more things that I can walk to. Businesses are really going to struggle as the weather gets colder so support when you can.

Bake

I stocked up on a ton of mixes so I can easily make breads and cookies so I can making baking a weekly thing. I’m sure we will go old school and make cookie from scratch but this has been as easy and quick way to bake.

Start Planning Christmas Cards

I made a promise to myself to get my Christmas cards out on time! Since we still have Christmas cards that we purchased last year and never used, it should be easy to take a family photo and get them written and sent out!

Watch Classic Fall Movies

Making a goal to get through this movies that scream fall or perfect to watch on a cold chilly day:

  • You’ve Got mail
  • When Harry Met Sally
  • Harry Potter
  • Lord of the Rings
  • Sleepless in Seattle
  • The First Wives Club

Wear Your Fall Wardrobe

Don’t let that wardrobe collect dust, bring it out and make it accessible so you can easily wear those cozy sweaters and brown plaid pieces.

Read

2020 has been the year that I’ve been reading like crazy because I’m dedicating time at night to read just one chapter. One chapter usually turns into a few chapters but it’s a lot easier to start reading when I say I’ll just read one. I’ve also noticed I’ve been sleeping better and fall asleep earlier.

Drink Tea

I love to get into bed in a matching pajama set with a cup of hot tea, my water bottle and I’ll apply my nighttime skincare which I keep on my nightstand. Then I’ll use a face roller while I read and sip on chamomile tea. It’s quickly become the favorite part of my day.

It’s Time for a Reset

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It was a fun summer in North Carolina and now we are back to Philadelphia full time! The long vacation was nice but now it’s back to the routines at home. While I am unpacking and getting settled back into the house, I realized quickly that I need to do a reset. It’s been a long time since I have been home and want to get settled into the house and my routines. I have a post it in my planner that I move to the first of each month that is a list of things I need to do that month. It helps keep me on track and organized for the month to come.

What did I like and dislike about last month?
Waking up early or hitting the snooze button too much, slacking on working out or kudos for daily walks. This helps me reflect and make the next month better.

What do I want to do this month?
I have a ridiculously long to do list that I use every day that has a list of things I want to do and then I write a daily to do list of things that I can do that day. From home projects, errands to a book I want to read, I like creating plans that are feasible and then picking from a list everyday.

Finance Check
I’ve talked about this before on the blog and I do this every month. Know where your money goes!

Make plans with friends.
Instead of making last minute plans, reach out to friends in the beginning of the month to make tentative plans.

Make note of upcoming birthdays and get cards ready.
I used to be the worst but now I have a list of birthdays in my planner that I can quickly see who to get cards for.

Organize your digital photos.
I save everything on Google Photos and then put those photos in albums on Google Photos and my photos app before I delete clutter on my camera photo roll.

Read your emails and then delete or file away.
I try to keep up with my emails every day but I spend more time at the end of the month to clear my inbox as much as I can.

Make a note of work and home projects.
I have a list of projects to do around the house and projects coming up for work. Change of decor, closet change and any big cleaning projects are written down in my planner.

Deep clean fridge and pantry.
I clean my fridge whenever we do a grocery run but I take everything out to deep clean my fridge and pantry every month. I have a magnetic notebook on my fridge to keep track of what we need to get.

Schedule fun date night ideas.
Instead of doing the same things or staying in because it’s too much energy to make plans, we are sitting down to schedule date night plans in advance. I’ve been making plans in my Google Calendar and inviting Jake so we both can make time for just us to spend intentional time together. We have a list of restaurants to try and things we can do together so we can pick an activity and a day we are free.

Start a new hobby.
Being at home so much put me into a slump so now I want to work on a new hobby every month. I’m not sure what I’m going to do the next few months but I’ve committed to reading every day, crafting, gardening and weeding the backyard.

Friday Favorites 10.9

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I am really looking forward to this weekend after a productive and busy week. We have plans to spend as much time outside and enjoy this nice fall weather we have been having lately. There is a fall harvest festival in the city and I think it’s the closest thing I’ll get to a pumpkin patch this year so we are going to take advantage of it. I’ve been going on a walk every day around the city to get my steps in and I keep going another block just to enjoy the sunshine! It’s been a great way to get some exercise in, I’ll put on a podcast and walk for an hour. It’s also been amazing for my mental health!

I’m one of those people who binge watched Emily in Paris on Netflix in 24 hours. Sure it wasn’t completely accurate but I loved that it was a fun show to watch full of beautiful scenes of Paris and the outfits left me inspired and were so fun! We are in a Pandemic right now and I prefer fantasy over reality any day.

I’ve been sticking to my routines and doing my nighttime skincare routine every night as soon as I get out of the shower. To make my life easy, I put all of my skincare products into this makeup bag so everything is in one place; serums, creams and face mask ready to go. I’ve been loving this serum at night before bed. The next morning I wake up to soft glowing skin in the morning.

For my daily walk, I like to treat myself and put on some makeup and do my hair. I’m having fun with the new makeup I got in the mail last week and even though I may not see anyone all day it’s still nice to get ready for myself. It takes a few minutes to make an effort and improves my mood for the day.

This week we did a Trader Joe’s run and got some of the fall items that we love and a few new ones to try. Wish we had a car because I would have stocked up on pumpkins and mums for the house but that will probably happen later this week. One thing I love to buy there are the fall flowers that I can dry and dried wheat that can be used throughout the year in vases around the house.

I am loving my daily walks and exploring the city on foot.

Moved some furniture around the house and loving this new setup.

My Fall Bucket List in a Pandemic

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Happy Fall Y’all! I honestly laughed when I got back to Philly after spending a few months in North Carolina because it was COLD here! After a summer in the South, I got used to 100 degree weather and most days it’s 60 degrees here in Philly. The change in weather is getting me excited for the change in seasons. Fall is going to look different for all of us. Right now, Jake and I are debating whether we will even go to a farm to do the usual pumpkin picking this year so I wanted to make a list of fun things to do this fall so we can celebrate in our own way where we feel safe. A lot of us were not expecting this pandemic to last long so I want to avoid getting into a slump and enjoy fall in a different way this year.

Get your planner out and make some plans now to make this fall special in its own way.

Buy Real and Fake Pumpkins

I hope to make my way to Trader Joe’s soon and get some real pumpkins soon! For now I am so happy I have accumulated some faux pumpkins so I can easily decorate without having to buy pumpkins every year. I found some amazing ones and put them in a blog post here.

Get Mums at Hardware Store

In the past I would buy mums at Home Depot or Lowes and this year I want to shop small. Shopping for fall mums and flowers is a great and easy way to support local businesses right now. We got flowers and soil at Rittenhouse Hardware in the spring and they had a great selection right down the street from us. Even though we don’t leave the house often, I want our front door to look welcoming for me because it’s such a fall tradition. It’s also going to encourage me to go outside and sweep our sidewalk to keep it clean which is a big task in a city!

Try New Coffee Shops

I want to make it a weekly treat to take a long walk and try new coffee shops around Philly. There are so many cute coffee shops in walking distance so I have a list of places to try in a note in my phone to try. It’s also an excuse to put on real pants and get a long walk in so it’s a win-win! I never imagined I would go this long without buying coffee and it’s nice to save money, but I miss sipping a hot coffee while I walk around the city admiring the sights.

Decorating My Home

I love decorating my home in the fall with cozy blankets and candles. With just a few small changes in my house, it gets me excited for the changing season. I like to get items that I can use year after year so I got some great faux flowers to use around the house. Target and Walmart have some great affordable options! And most importantly, you can’t forget about the fall hand towels! Our guest bath is super cute in the fall with some fall decor and fall themed hand towels…. for the guests we won’t have. Oh well!

Closet Swap for Fall

This year I am swapping out my summer clothes to my fall clothes differently. Usually my closet holds all of my work clothes and I rarely see my cozy fall clothes because they are jammed in a drawer. This year, I brought out all of my favorite fall clothes and put work clothes that are not being worn right now into storage. Clothes that I know I will not wear anytime soon are in labeled boxes in our basement so I can easily get to them if needed. My current wardrobe is t shirts and comfy clothes so I want those to be easily accessible so my office clothes are going to storage! It has definitely helped me really think about how much I have and how much goes unworn because there is no room for it.

VOTE!

Make a plan, register to vote and volunteer in any way that you can! You can go to VoteSaveAmerica.com to learn how to vote and how to get involved in your state.

Halloween Movies

Freeform has their Halloween movie lineup posted for October and I am so excited to light a fall candle, get cozy under a blanket and watch one at night! Jake and I are being more intentional with our time together so even though we are both home all the time, we are making plans to do things together. On Fridays, we have been ordering in and watching a movie together and now we can plan on watching Halloween movies together to get into the holiday spirit.

Long Walks

My goal is to go on a walk everyday to get some steps in, more specifically 10,000 steps. It’s a great excuse to also get some fresh air after being home all day. I got spoiled being in the South because I spent most of my day outside so I want to keep doing that. Jake and I plan on walking around the city or taking advantage of the hiking trails nearby on the weekends. I am so excited to enjoy this fall weather! For a while I dreaded going on errands because it’s a long walk to everything but I want to look at it as an excuse to get some air on a long walk.

Try New Recipes

Jake and I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen making dinner together and we want to keep trying new recipes this fall. On our long walks we can go to Trader Joe’s and our grocery store to stock up on ingredients to make sure we have a stocked kitchen. We are still having our produce delivered through Giordano’s so we eat really healthy and have shifted to more clean eating instead of eating processed food. I’ve been spending a lot of time on Pinterest saving recipes and bought some new cookbooks to try new things. Bring out the crock pot because it’s chili season!

Get Dressed

And finally, as a promise to myself I want to get dressed everyday. It’s something I started to do this summer and not only did it help improve my mood and give me energy, but I was happy to wear my clothes. My closet has amazing clothes and a great fall wardrobe that should be worn, right? Get dressed everyday for yourself, I promise you won’t regret it!