Happy July! I think July may be my favorite month because summer is in full swing and there is so much fun to be had. I’m looking forward to trips to the beach, getting together with friends and enjoying every second of summer! Right now we are in a heat wave and even in this horrible heat I am loving it compared to the cold winter we just had. This weekend, we are seeing some friends, going to stay in the city most of the weekend and play tourists and then go to the beach hopefully on Monday. Hope you all have a fun and relaxing weekend – we all need it!
Recently stumbled upon the E! tv show, The Royals on Prime. It was a show that I wanted to watch but wasn’t available on demand so I quickly fell behind. It’s been great background noise while I get work done. Jake and I are still watching Dexter together at night. I forgot how many seasons there are LOL!
I talked about this exfoliating facial on the blog earlier this week and I am still loving it! It seriously is a game changer in getting soft, smooth skin. It’s been almost a full week since I used it last and I still am seeing the difference in my skin.
Ordered these toys that look for sushi for Ed and it’s the cutest thing!
Ordered new sandals after doing a big purge of old shoes to make room for new ones. Got some embellished slides that look fancy that are comfy. These pink ruffle slides were too cute not to get!
Loving this look that I shared on the blog for an easy go-to look for summer.
Swapped out some living room decor for summer while I was tidying up the house this week. I recently got some new artwork from Hobby Lobby and some more faux flowers to put in vases around the house.
We hosted a little dinner party last weekend and had so much fun cooking and entertaining! Looking forward to more get togethers with friends this summer.
Hi Friends! After a vacation to North Carolina to spend a few weeks with my parents, I am excited to be back to work in Philly. It was so nice to be in warm weather and lay out by the pool, reading magazines and doing some laps in the pool. We had cousin camp so every day was a new theme of meals and activities to do with my family. We were all joking that by the end, we all needed a vacation because we were tired from so much fun. Summer is in full swing here in the city and Jake and I are busy scheduling some fun things to do in the next few weeks. I love summer and the warm weather so so much! We were only gone for two weeks but the weeds took over our backyard, so I spent a few days getting the yard back in shape. I love our backyard and I try to lay out and read on the grass everyday. I’m sure we will have dinner outside at least once this weekend. Happy weekend! Hope you all have some fun and enjoy the nice weather.
After two weeks with no time to watch tv, I’ve been trying to catch up on my shows. This week during lunch, I’ll watch an episode of the Real Housewives. I am so behind so it’s a nice excuse to get cozy on the couch and catch up with all of the drama.
Last night while Jake was playing video games, I watched the Kardashian reunion with Andy Cohen. I have to say I wish we had more of these reunions during the Kardashian franchise. I loved his questions and the insight on the series after all of these years. Finally sat down and watched Housewife and the Hustler yesterday and was texting my friend the whole time because the show was full of very interesting information we did not know before.
Jake and I just finished season 4 of Dexter and since I already saw this show a few times, it was interesting to watch Jake watch that very dramatic season finale. I swear he just sat there in shock with big eyes because he did not see that coming!
When I was packing my suitcase for two weeks at my parents house, I had to be very intentional about what I was going to bring with me. With a shorter trip, I can just bring the basics and sometimes my skincare routine will be lacking but it’s only for a few days. But with two weeks away from all of my products, I knew I needed to bring the right products to keep my hair and skin healthy.
I picked ups some more faux florals to use in vases around my house. Buy them once and they look good forever!
I saw this wood tray all over Instagram and I just needed to have it! I’m still working on styling it in the kitchen but it is great for decorating on my kitchen counter and then for serving at a dinner party.
Hobby Lobby’s spring shop is 50% off so I went to just browse and walked out with such pretty artwork under $10 for the house. We also picked up some cute new plastic plates for outside and some hand towels because I can never have enough!
Ordered this new bikini for our cruise in August and wore it around the pool last week. It’s a bit itsy bitsy but will be fun to wear on our trip!
I’ve had these books in my shopping cart since forever and finally hit the check out button when I saw them on sale.
Now that our social calendars are getting a little busy, now is the time to pick up a few dresses for easy outfits. Rounded up a few cute options here.
Picked up Chipotle for dinner on Tuesday night while running errands and got the veggie bowl. I’m trying to eat healthy after being on vacation for two weeks and eating non stop.
Highly recommend this shampoo and conditioner line if you plan on doing a lot of swimming and washing your hair this summer. I used it while on vacation and I swear it saved my hair from getting dry and brittle with all of the chlorine and washing.
Miss having my morning coffee by the pool every morning but now i get to have it with Ed in the backyard. It’s fun to watch him chase the birds.
For weeks, we have been getting happy news that the world as we knew it prior to 2020 is coming back. Eating inside restaurants, busier grocery stores and it’s safe to dust off that suitcase and plan a trip. With this excitement can also come with forgetting how to live a busy work day and have that same energy to socialize and just do the bare minimum outside of work. I see it in our house that after that 9-5 commitment that takes up all of our lives in some way or another, it doesn’t leave much room for anything else. Before 2020, I think we were encouraged and even told we were succeeding when we were able to have a full work week and a full social life as well. This past year has allowed our household to slow down and enjoy that free time after work without scheduling it with a dinner with friends, a fitness class or any other last minute plan. Even with the world in panic around us, in our house we were able to get restful sleep because we set aside that free time after work. Days started to blur into each other but on the plus side, we had healthy home cooked dinners each night, time at night for me to shower and not be rushed, an at-home workout a few nights a week with time to watch tv or read a book.
Now that we see others doing things and seeing people again, I want to fill up my social calendar with fun exciting things as well but also be mindful to schedule free time in my day again. I’ve enjoyed reading again and a few minutes of meditation at night before bed. It’s not normal in all households since we don’t have children, but in the morning we can enjoy a cup of hot coffee before it gets cold. Why are we rushing so fast to get rid of all of our free time and go back to over scheduled?
Here are a few ways to ease back into that life we all lived in 2020:
Make a list of habits and routines you picked up this past year that you would like to keep. For me, it’s mediation with the Calm App and reading one book a month.
You’ll be getting invitations to social events again but learn to feel comfortable to saying no. Not interested in that activity, just nice decline. You do not need to be busy 24/7 again right away.
Work boundaries were difficult this past year because of “unprecedented circumstances”. Take those sick days for a mental health day if needed and create a way to leave work at work.
If you have the budget, hire a company to come in once a month or more if you can afford it to clean your home. Being at home made me realize how much of my free time I spent cleaning our house while working full time.
It’s not just you, after a year of being at home we all don’t have have clothes that once fit us. Don’t despair and get rid of them. Pack them up in bins and put them in storage so the only clothes in your closet are ones that fit you. I swear it does wonders for your mental health!
Plan one trip this summer and look forward to it. It doesn’t need to be big but by having one thing planned you have something to look forward to. You don’t need to travel every weekend to feel like you are making up for lost time. Ease back into having your busy weekends back.
Speaking of weekends, plan to have one activity free weekend a month this summer. Say no to things, don’t plan on leaving the house. It’s a routine we had for over a year and our bodies are going to miss it!
Before you sign up for those fitness classes, art class, second job, weekly breakfast date with friends… try to wake up early on a Saturday at the time you would have to go and go through the motions of getting ready. Is this the activity you want to add back into your schedule again? Do you really need to be waking up early on a Saturday to do something you don’t really enjoy that much?
Your free time is valuable. Just because the world is going back to the way it was before 2020 does not mean we need to be busy all the time again.
And most importantly, have an amazing summer having fun with friends and family you have not seen in a long time. Make memories, laugh a lot and let’s not wait this long to see the people in our lives again!
Hello, June! It is so nice to see you. As much as we avoid it, there is change all around us. It’s something we often dread and drag our feet when we are confronted with it. There are at times like these rare instances of change are welcomed. For instance this change in weather and promise of sunny days for the next few days. This summer will be very different than the previous one. My social calendar is filling up faster than ever and I’ll admit I am getting a little anxious about how to socialize again. I forget how to properly pack, get out of the house on time and even put together outfits. Change can be scary, however this time around I’m looking forward to getting back into the busy life. For those who are also nervous about a new season, a time of change and expectations society and even we put on ourselves, take a deep breath. We got this!
Jake is back in the office so that has been an adjustment for all of us, including Ed the cat. Last weekend, we packed up the car to head to Bayhead, New Jersey to stay with my family friends. It ended up being a very rainy weekend but we ended up having more fun than just a day at the beach. I took Jake to a local favorite of mine for lunch before walking around town to see the shops before warming up in a coffee shop. Of course when the rain started to pour and we had some time before dinner, we went to the aquarium on the boardwalk to stay dry. Even though it was raining, it was nice to go to the beach on Memorial Day Weekend. The next morning we were up early to go to the bakery to grab some treats to enjoy while sitting by the water for a bit before heading home.
This week I’ve been packing my large suitcase to spend a few weeks in North Carolina with my family. Of course I’m excited to spend time with everyone but I’m most excited to spend time at the pool lounging around and drinking sweet tea while I read a few books.
Since we had a few rainy days here I’ve been watching a lot of shows while I’ve been getting work done. It was nice to have something to look forward to every Sunday while we watched Mare of Easttown. SNL has been creating some amazing skits based off of the Philadelphia culture and the show. I’ve always been a fan of period pieces so I quickly binged through Victoria on Amazon Prime. An amazing show about Queen Victoria and her reign that shaped England. Of course season 3 ended with a cliffhanger and production for season 4 is delayed with filming restrictions. In one night I binged Zelda the Beginning of Everything, also on Amazon Prime. I knew of Zelda Fitzgerald but didn’t really know her story until I watched the series. Wish it kept going to watch the final downfall of Scott and Zelda because the series was so well cast. Somehow the show The Romanoffs slipped my radar when it first came out and I’ve been watching it while I pack. I won’t give too much away but each episode is a mini movie with a different cast telling the story of where the Royal Russian family are today.
Using this shampoo and conditioner to keep my hair healthy after a recent haircut. I forgot how nice it is to have soft silky smooth hair!
I use this skincare product every night for an extra cleanse and I cannot believe how much dirt comes off of my face even after I wash it.
For extra moisture, I have been using these milk drops and this serum at night.
Best faux plant for $5 that looks real and won’t die.
Packing this top for North Carolina for when we go out to lunch.
Put together a little round up of what I’ve been up to and some shots from Instagram on the blog. It’s nice to look back and see what I’ve been up to the last month.
Kind of weird but there is no more mask mandate in New Jersey so that was a bit of a shock.
Walking around Point Pleasant with a warm cup of coffee in my hand last weekend.
Can you feel it? The sunshine is brighter, the days are longer and weekends are for spending time outside. You can just feel that summer is on it’s way after a long day of cold, dark days indoors. I feel like May just flew by so I wanted to do a quick round-up of what I’ve been up to, my favorite products and what I’ve been buying.
Do you have a skincare routine that you do every morning and night? If you don’t or want to learn about some awesome products to use to get amazing skin, click here. On most Sundays, I put up a product review on Blonde Rosie so I have options for every skin issue and budget. Since I’ve been home I’ve been able to take the time to use multiple skincare products to get good skin and I’ve definitely seen seen a real difference. This month, I did a bit of traveling and it was the first time I had to pack an overnight bag in over a year! I got lazy and just brought a face wash and a moisturizer and wow, my face missed my skincare routine!
My parents came to visit this month and I loved the excuse to clean and decorate our home for Spring. I played tourist for the week and showed my parents our city and shared what we did in this post. With the season change, I love walking around our neighborhood and see the flowers bloom, grass get greener and the sunshine brighten the whole city!
Jake and I were joking because we have had a long list of things we want to do in Philly but just never did because of one excuse or another. This month we went to the Philly Zoo, New Jersey for Memorial Day Weekend, the aquarium and resumed our weekly date nights. This is because we finally got a car after being carless for over a year and also because we started to plan our month ahead to schedule a weekly dinner or something to do that is on our list. With a little bit of planning, we are able to have a fun May with fun things to do and still having our lazy days!
Finally got a haircut this month and my hairdresser was very impressed with how healthy it was even though it was so long. I credit to taking care of my hair with the right products this past year.
Now that we are vaccinated things are starting to get back to normal. Back to the old routine of going on errands but these days I get all dressed up even if we are going down the street!
Excited to get dressed up for our weekly dates! We have been going out to eat a lot lately because it’s so nice to try new places and support our neighborhood.
I’m linking my Friday Favorites page where I post what I’ve been loving, recent purchases, and what I’ve been watching. They are full of such good finds you don’t want to miss them!
Happpy Friday! We have been having such great weather lately and I have been taking advantage of it everyday! I’ve been reading in the backyard and going on long walks around the neighborhood in the evening. It’s been HOT but you won’t hear any complaints from me. The world is slowly starting to get back to normal so we are excited to leave our house and do errands again. Jake and I were excited to run errands last weekend because we had a car and didn’t have to carry what we purchased home. This weekend, we are going to Lowes to get some supplies to finish our backyard. I did all of the weeding and prep work this week and I’m excited to make this space pretty.
It was just announced that there is going to be a revival of the tv show, Dexter in late 2021. I binged it in college twice because it was so good! Turns out that Jake has never seen it so I’m doing a rewatch while he watches it for the first time. In my free time, I’ve been watching the Real Housewives and at night I’ve been watching an episode or two of the HBO show, Big Love. I started it years ago and then got busy so I never finished it.
This week I sat down to write and schedule a bunch of product reviews that I typically share on the blog on Sundays. I’ve been trying a lot of products recently and I’m excited to share them with you. On Monday I have a hair appointment so I am so excited to get my hair cut and styled. The last few weeks my social calendar has been getting busier and busier so I’ve been having to do my hair and wear makeup. My hair needed some TLC after all of that heat so I’ve been using my Redken shampoo and conditioner. There will be a full review of what I’ve been using this week so come back to the blog to read more. I have also been using this eye cream every night to help with my dark circles and puffy eyes. I’ve seen a difference after only a week so I will definitely be repurchasing!
We went to Target last weekend and it felt like Christmas morning walking through the store doors! Of course we went in without a list and Jake was nice enough to let me walk up and down every single aisle. I picked up this dress that I featured on the blog this week, this white eyelet top, and some new sandals. Can you tell I’m excited for summer?
Last week I finished reading The Jane Austen Book Club and just started The Virgin Queen since I’ve been on a historical fiction roll. I also ordered the Bridgerton books and found the books with the original covers for $5. Sharing my link here to get them.
On Sundays, we like to have pasta and try different recipes. I wanted to keep it simple so I made my own red sauce with a can of tomato paste, can of diced tomatoes with 3 chopped roma tomatoes and a bunch of seasoning. In 2020, we stopped eating processed food and I’ve had a fun time making our meals from scratch. I used to think it was really intimidating or would take too long but this year has taught me that I love to spend time in the kitchen. This love has been put on hold however because our dishwasher broke. We had someone come look at it and it’s still broken. Now dinner is whatever won’t dirty a dish!
Trip to Target last weekend. Seems silly but after not having a car for more than a year, we get excited about errands now.
Full fridge this week after a grocery run.
A lunch date at Panera with Jake.
Took advantage of the nice weather and walked to Rittenhouse in this outfit.
Reading everyday in the backyard has become a favorite part of my day.
Staying committed in working out every single day. After months of working out I am finally starting to see a difference.
Shared a round-up of some fitness clothes I have my eyes on right now.
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