Category: life

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.

We are halfway through the year and the world looks nothing like it did back in January. I made lists of things I wanted to do, personal development and hobbies to start. Let’s all take a minute to laugh at those plans that never happened and were quickly derailed. When the stay at home orders first began, I started to make changes in my life that added value and wrote about them on the blog. Now that we are in full summer mode, I’m sitting down again to see what improvements I can make to have happier and fuller days.

Reading More
I schedule an hour a day to read at night when the sun starts to set. I’ll sit in the screened in porch and read my book for a bit and unwind. It’s helped me quiet my body and get ready for bed a lot and I’ve noticed I’m sleeping better.

Early Bedtime, Early Rising
Not sure how but I somehow became a morning person. I’ve been naturally waking up between 6:30 – 7am which has been so nice because I get more out of my day. After a full day of fun and working outside, I’m showering and getting ready for bed at around 9pm. The first few weeks of quarantine, my sleep schedule is so screwed up that I went days without sleeping because I physically could not fall asleep. Now when my head hits the pillow, I quickly fall asleep.

Calm App
I used to fall asleep to tv or a movie but now I go electronic free at night. Instead, I’ve been doing a meditation and a night time story on the Calm App. As soon as the meditation starts to play, my body gets into sleepy mode and I never get through a full story without falling asleep before it’s over.

Notes
Since I’m a few hundred miles away from my roommate/boyfriend, we have been using the Notes App to make to do lists. We can add each other so we can both read and edit them as necessary. It’s been great to make grocery lists, make plans for when I go back to Philly and jot down things to remember. Since I always have my phone on me, I’ve been using the Notes App for everything so I don’t forget or have it easily accessible.

Automatic Savings
Everyone wants to save but few people have a nice nest egg for just in case. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that I put money in my savings before COVID because it’s calmed a lot of my anxiety. I still put $100 a week into my savings and have it set up that my bank account does it automatically so I don’t forget. I have money in a savings account that I can’t touch unless it’s an emergency.

Spending More of My Time Outside
I am taking full advantage that my parents have a large property and a pool this summer! At this point I’m making up projects to do outside just so I have an excuse to be outside! Being outside brings me so much happiness and I’m loving the hot summer months. Jake and I area already making plans to renovate our backyard to really utilize it this year. I’m not working and with the sate of the world, I don’t plan on going back to work in the fall. So Jake and I have walks planned for when he gets done with work and long walks or picnics on the weekends to explore our city some more. My mood is better, I have more energy and I go to bed early because I’ve had a long fulfilling day.

Spending Time With Friends and Family
If this whole pandemic has not encouraged you to call your mother more, what will? I’ve mentioned before that my mom, aunt, cousins and I have been sending each other handmade cards to each other. Not only is it fun to do a craft, I get to have a box full of memories made during this time even though we couldn’t see each other. My mom has always wanted a big house where people gathered and that is our plan for the summer. Some of my family is going to get tested and then spend a few weeks at my parents house here in North Carolina. It’s a time we will never have again to be able to spend this much time with family without work getting in the way.

Jake and I are planning vacations and taking advantage of the deals right now. With a deposit, we can schedule a trip in 2021 and then have the flexibility to change the dates if needed. We are planning trips to the mountains, to the beach in the off season and long drives. Seeing people outside of family can be tricky but I’m excited to start making plans when it is safe to do so. I’ve always been shy about making plans but this experience has made me crave social interaction. For now, I’m sending care packages, texts to old friends to check in and old fashioned snail mail.

Cooking
I didn’t realize I’d miss my kitchen and cooking so much while being at my parents! For months I was making breakfast, lunch and dinner for Jake and I and I cannot wait to be back in our kitchen cooking again. I spent my Sundays meal planning and making a grocery list for items to pick up that week. Without meaning to, we were cooking and eating really healthy and both saw it with our bodies getting smaller. We are still ordering our groceries through a produce delivery company that has really been affordable and given us a lot of healthy fruits, veggies, eggs, milk and butter. We are going to do a big grocery run in September so we can self quarantine for two weeks once we get back to Philly.

I know I am not alone when I say that I kind of dreaded summer. It’s my favorite season because of the energy, being outside, the food and of course beach days. This summer has shown a bit less energy, being outside looks different, the food shopping is getting old and eating out can be too complicated and finally, the beaches are where you want to avoid because of the crowds. I knew for my own mental health that staying inside all summer was not going to go well so I packed a suitcase (and another one and a few duffel bags) and drove to my parents house to spend the summer there. Since they are in a county with few cases and have a big property, it makes spending all day outside feel normal because we can self isolate without feeling constricted. Running errands is low risk because of the small population so with a mask and timing it right, I walk down empty aisles while I shop.

I had a few weeks of living on vacation but now that it’s my second month here, I am craving some structured routine. I’ve started to wake up early since quarantine and not working really messed up my sleep schedule. After sitting all day I had trouble falling asleep and often would go days without sleeping since I honestly wasn’t tired after sitting all day. Those mornings, or mid-day, when I would wake up, there would be no rush to get out of bed to go… sit? Which is why I’m happy to be at my parents house because I’ve been waking up with the sun naturally eager to get my day started. I’ve been spending all day working in the backyard; weeding, landscaping, sweeping, powerwashing. It’s a big property and a lot to take care of so I work all day in my bathing suit to get some color while I work. Now I go to bed around 9pm because my legs are throbbing after all of the manual work. I’ve noticed my stomach is getting toned and my thighs slowly getting slimmer. Most of all, it is so rewarding to work all day and be able to see what you accomplished. I hope to take this enthusiasm and love of weeding back with me to Philadelphia in the fall. There are a lot of sidewalk and lots overgrown with weeds where garbage gets stuck. I plan on making it a weekly project to go out myself and do some sweeping and weeding to get some fitness in but also keep our street looking nice. For months I did mat ab workouts and yoga and saw little to no changes in my body. Now with spending time outside, I’ve seen a big positive change in my body.

With better sleep and waking up early, I’ve had more time in the morning for me time. I like to start my day with water and lemon before I drink my cup of coffee. Since I’ll be out in the sun all day my skin can get really dry so I’ve been using sunscreen, a good moisturizer and I’ll carry a face mist which I can spray all over when my face feels dry.

While I sip my morning water and coffee, I’ve been getting back in the habit of checking my emails and writing in my planner. Yes, there is nothing going on right now but I like to make goals and realistic plans as something to look forward to. My morning does not consist of running (never going to happen), an hour long yoga session or some elaborate breakfast (I’ve been adding veggies to my scrambled eggs and it’s been so good!). Just by giving myself an hour of “me time” has done wonders for my day. I’m excited to wake up in the morning and after a busy day, I’m going to bed early with joy in my soul.

The products mentioned in today’s post were received complimentary and there was no commitment for a blog post, but I have been loving them so I thought I would share them with you all on the blog.

I blinked and now we are starting another month of quarantine. When 2020 began we all had so many plans and things we wanted to do before the pandemic made the world stop. I’ve been having good weeks and bad weeks like many other people. Mid-June I packed up a suitcase and rented a car to stay at my parents house for the summer. I’m currently not working so I wanted to give myself a summer vacation I will never be able to have again at my parents house in North Carolina. My parents recently moved to their dream home to retire in a cute historic neighborhood on the water. Not only is the house gorgeous, it has a big backyard with a pool where I spend every morning getting some laps in and a screened in back porch where I can read at night. One thing that was really getting to me was sitting idle the last few months. My dad keeps joking that it takes a lot of work to maintain a house like this but it’s been great for me because I can spend a few hours a day working on a project.

Last week my dad and I went on a long bike ride through the neighborhood and I didn’t realize how much I missed the suburbs! We rode around the marina to see the boats and stopped to get a scoop of ice cream as a sweet treat. We wore masks and were able to socially distance but for a few hours, it felt like everything was normal again. It’s little moments like this that bring me so much joy! I’m looking forward to a lot more days like this during the summer. I’m really proud of my parent’s town because whenever we have to run errands, everyone is wearing a mask. It makes grocery shopping or walking through town a lot safer.

My mom and I have a few house projects planned during my visit which is a great way to stay busy while at home. There is a great hiking trail near my parent’s house which we like to visit to get a long walk in while staying safe since it’s pretty empty. I can’t wait to share photos when we are done! We already started working on turning a storage room into a proper craft room which has been a lot of fun.

The popular holiday that truly kicks off summer, the 4th of July is going to look different for everyone this year. We still plan on a cookout in the backyard and stopping by a neighbors house to safely socially distance for a drink. I still plan on wearing my red, white and blue! One thing I love about staying at my parent’s house is being able to wear my summer wardrobe and get out of my pajamas! It has definitely helped my mood and it’s great to get dressed up every day even if it’s just to stay in the house.

I hope everyone is able to make the most of July with picnics, bike rides or long walks to enjoy the summer sun!

As I write this post, I am currently in North Carolina visiting with my parents to get a change of scenery for a bit. There are a lot of perks that come with staying at home: no pants, makeup-free, some extra free time in my day. If anything quarantine has taught us a lot about how we spend our time and what we want to do with our time. The last time I saw my parents was during Thanksgiving and it’s the longest we have ever gone without seeing each other. Summer has always been my favorite season because of growing up at the beach, eating outside for every meal by the pool, and sitting on our front porch while we read together on the weekends. Summertime reminds me of my family and the first few weeks of June made me miss family because of the two decades (almost 3!) of traditions with my family. I tried to stay busy but this time of quarantine has hit all of us in different ways, and I needed my family more than ever. I called my mom daily to cry, talk about my fears, talk things out and tell her about the squirrel that I saw because some days that was as exciting as things got from my living room. Living in a city has a lot of amazing qualities and those qualities make it a little more dangerous and scary during a pandemic. I couldn’t walk anywhere, go to any stores for basic needs, or spend time outside because of the heat.

My parents, cousins, and aunt decided to plan a get together in late August with the whole family at my parent’s house because it has space to safely socially distance and has great amenities. That trip kept me looking forward from a break from the isolated city life for a bit but after a few long talks with my mom, I thought it would be best to make my trip down South a bit longer. Luckily I have a very understanding boyfriend who was very sad to see me go but understand that I needed time with my family. With his work schedule and home renter responsibilities, he had to stay in Philly while I rented a car and drove 9 hours to my parent’s house. It was hard to say goodbye but I love him even more for letting me go even though he could not join me.

Right now I am not working and I haven’t for a while. It’s everyone’s dream not to have to work right? But what no one explained is the lack of structure and economic stress that comes with it. Luckily I was very good at saving and I have a good amount of money in my savings account for rent and other small purchases. Living at my parents right now means that my meals are covered and they will help out with other essential purchases. I’m very lucky that I have my parents to give me another summer free of responsibilities and just be a kid under their roof. In a sense, I’m crawling back home to mom and dad because I needed a break from the stresses of quarantine.

Where my parents live in North Carolina is a mix of suburbia and farmland so there are hiking trails, stores big enough to socially distance in and my parents have a big backyard with a pool to spend all day in. I needed a change of pace for my mental health and it made me think about how I want to invest my time and energy moving forward once I go back to Philly. Jake, if you are reading this I promise I’m coming back!! 🙂 I made a list of ways I want to live my life post- quarantine because life is too short not to enjoy it.

• work/play 50/50
  I used to revolve everything about work but I am changing that. Right now I have some flexibility to look for a job that I am excited to go to and allows for a life outside of work.
• be intentional with my time and how I spend it
  I live in a city and want to do more exploring, go to museums, go to local stores. For a while, we were trying out new restaurants during the week but then I would stay at work late to get stuff done or just be too tired to go out.
• hire house cleaner
  We have already talked about budgeting to get a house cleaner. I used to spend so much time cleaning on the weekends that we could have spent doing fun things instead.
• daily walks
  You don’t realize how much you miss them until you can’t leave the house! My quarantine 10 has come from my lack of walking recently and it’s something I hope to get back to soon!
• working out
  I’ve been doing 10-minute workouts and I have zero excuses to not stick to it. I’m hoping to join a yoga studio as a way to make friends and stay committed. During quarantine, I am building up my strength and want to tone so I’m ready for classes.
• make plans with friends
  We always say we will make plans but this time, I am scheduling them! My previous work schedule prevented me from making plans after work because I never knew if I would be working late or not. On the weekends I was too tired to be social but now I want to focus more on living life than revolving my life around work.
• snail mail
  My family and I have been sending cards to each other and it’s made me actually use the card sets that were collecting dust in my office. To keep this going, I made a list of everyone’s birthday in my planner so I can be ready with a card next year. It’s something so simple but can bring a lot of joy to someone instead of posting on social media.
• plan vacations
  Jake and I are making a list of places we want to visit when we can travel again. Since a lot of places will be offering big discounts to bounce back we added those to our list along with their promotion rates. Since we get a few 3 days weekends throughout the year, I hope to start planning trips during those weekends for 2021 so we don’t have to use vacation days even.
• meditate
  As an American Express cardmember, I was able to download the Calm App for free for a year. I don’t use it as often as I should but I’ve enjoyed the meditations before bed.
• well-stocked kitchen
  My dad and I did a grocery run a few days ago and I cannot tell you how excited I was to be able to put whatever I needed/wanted in the cart because 1) I wasn’t paying for it and 2) we had a car to take everything home with us. I think we are going to continue with our fresh produce delivery and shop more at Costco to get stuff in bulk. I wasted too much time going to the grocery store each week.
• make time to cook
  I used to live off of frozen Trader Joe’s meals and other frozen packaged dinners but the food shortage has really made me make a meal plan and get creative with what I can make. We used our crockpot for a lot of meals and had more of a vegetable-based diet since we got a weekly produce box delivery. I’m excited to keep this new hobby of cooking going!
• read more
  I think I am so used to running around that sitting down to read is the last thing I have time for. Moving forward, I want to be more intentional with my time by taking shortcuts when possible so I can spend more time doing what I enjoy.
• go to bed early
  I know I’m not alone with a sleep schedule that suffered the last few months. I’ve been getting better because I’ve given myself a bedtime where I need to be in bed even if I just lay there unable to fall asleep. I feel so much better going to bed at a reasonable time and enjoying my morning the next day.