Month: October 2024

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Currently #58

Hello All!

Happy Wednesday and may I add, happy Halloween Eve!

Are you all set for the big day? I don’t have too many big plans for the holiday, but I will be enjoying some candy, treats and maybe a Halloween movie to celebrate.

Fall in full effect!

October was all enjoying the beautiful fall weather. We had gorgeous weather, and the leaves and foliage showed off all month long. I tried my best to pack in as much fall fun as I could and I think I did a pretty good job at it. This post is full of fall fun, you have been warned.

What I’ve Been Up To: 

This month began by running my furthest distance, 10.5 miles which I was VERY proud of. I had gorgeous weather and more than enough time to pace myself and enjoy the journey. 

I’ve really enjoyed finding new places to run in my community and have been discovering hidden gems along the way.

Early morning run
Another new spot to run

I also enjoyed some solo dates to the library and taking the time to browse and read and not rush to another errand.

Snapshot from a recent solo date

I made a few trips to different farmer’s markets to pick out pumpkins and fall decor which is always a fun outing for me. 

October also brought seeing the Northern Lights from my backyard which was an incredible experience. 

Plus, we got to see a beautiful, full moon.

I got to do one of my favorite fall activities which was apple picking and made some sweet treats from it as well.  

What I’m Reading: 

I had such a good reading month with lots of different genres of books. 

The Plan– I kicked this month by reading The Plan by Kendra Adachi. This is Adachi’s third book and it’s all about planning, organization, and compassionate time management. She lays out ideas and principles for how to plan and organize your life, but the best part is that you can tailor it to your own wants and needs. I found myself taking notes while reading it and have applied so many principles to my own life. If you have read or listened to Adachi’s podcast or books, you can almost hear her voice across the pages. 5 Stars from me!

The Summer Pact– The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin was a heavier read, but I’m glad I read it. I have read other books by Giffin and really enjoyed them. The book follows three friends who lose one of their friends to suicide in college but remain close through the years. When one of the characters go through a major life change, they go on a trip to reconnect and get their lives back in order, but they learn more about each other and all go through major life and growth moments on the trip while remembering their fourth friend. I really loved the themes of friendship, growth and maturity that were found all through the story. I would recommend, but just be warned that suicide is discussed in it. 

The Home Edit- The Home Edit by Clea and Joanna was just a fun read for me. I love all things organization and this gave examples with pictures of how to organize different areas in your home. I loved all the scenarios they created for what spots you can streamline in your space, no matter how big or small. 

The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard– The Lost Letters from Martha’s Vineyard by Michael Callahan was a book I picked up on a whim and I’m so glad I did. It follows the story of a rising Hollywood star who leaves the spotlight after a summer in Martha’s Vineyard. What happens that summer that caused her to leave it all behind? I really loved the mystery that came with this book, but it jumps back and forth from the past to present which always keeps my attention. The description of Martha’s Vineyard was dreamy too. This was such a fun read after a heavier book. 

Darling Girls– Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth had been on my to be read list for a long time and I’m so glad I finally got around to reading it just in time for spooky season. It follows the story of three girls who grew up in foster care and how their past becomes part of their present when a body is found under the home they grew up in. There were so many changes in the plot that I had a hard time keeping up, but this book was so good and worth the wait to read it. 

Lies and Weddings– Kevin Kwan’s Lies and Weddings was a fun read but you do have to be plugged in while making your way through it. Kwan is the author of Crazy Rich Asians so I knew I was in for a treat with this one. He was recently on the podcast, Books, Beach and Beyond and I loved learning the behind the scenes scoop. It tells the story of a young man from a healthy family who’s mother wants him married off, but there’s a method to her madness. Throughout the book, lies, secrets and family histories are revealed and not everything is as it seems. The only critique is that there was a lot of characters and it took focus to keep them all in order, otherwise, it was a great read!

My What If Year- My What If Year by Alisha Fernandez Miranda is all about a woman who is a wife, mother and CEO and as she enters hr 40’s she decides to try different jobs and internships for a several months. She tries careers she has always dreamed of and gets a first hand look at what they entail. I loved reading about this woman’s journey and hearing what she took away from the experience.

What I’m Watching:

I have been making my way through Gilmore Girls which has been a fun escape for the fall season.

I also watched the latest season of Outer Banks. It started out slow but they picked up and now I can’t wait for part two to be released next month. 

I also made my way through Nobody Wants This which was a hit on Netflix and already got renewed for season 2!

Plus, I have made time for the classics like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

What I’m Wearing:

My wardrobe hasn’t been too exciting as of late, a lot of layering for when it starts cool and then warms up.

What I’m Cooking:

Here’s been some of my favorite new meals:

I have been busy in the kitchen this month thanks to checking out different cookbooks from the library like Magnolia by Joanna Gaines and some of Ina Garten’s cookbooks.

Roasted Keilbasa, Carrots and Sprouts– This was perfect for fall and was so tasty to heat up the next day.

Snickerdoodles-A fall must have!

Speaking of treats, one of my most recent treats…snickerdoodles!

Homemade gumbo– I found this recipe in Magnolia and was a bit intimated by it, but it wasn’t as tricky as I thought and it tasted so warm, a great late summer or early fall soup!

Apple Cider Donut Cake– I have been baking all things Apple, including this apple cider donut cake which only has a few ingredients that I’m sure you keep around your home!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins– Another welcome to fall and only three ingredients! 

Pulled Pork Tacos– I love a good taco night and this was a fun and flavorful twist on this!

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili- I love a good chili and you can cook this in the stove or in the slow cooker and you will have a delicious meal. Not a bad meal idea for Halloween too!

Chicken Cordon Bleu- I was intimated to make this at first, but it was fairly easy and a warm and hearty meal too.

What Inspires Me:

I have been inspired by all the fall weather and changing of the leaves. I’ve really been trying to make it a point to really be present outdoors and take in nature.

Just look at this beauty
So many colors!

Here’s a few quote that have really resonated with me too!

What I accomplished:

I really have made so much headway with my bucket list. Here’s how it started and how it’s going. 

My boyfriend and I also had a packed full fall day and did all the festive things which was so fun!

I also got to listen to a presentation by journalist and sports analyst Stephen A Smith. It was fascinating to hear his take on sports, the media, journalism and our currently political climate. 

Goals from Last Month:

I got some much fun fall activities in, plus I spent time with friends and although not all together, I got lots of family time in too which is always a treat. 

Beautiful fall drives

Goals for this Month:

I’m really going to try to be present and do all the prep work before the craziness of the holidays. I also have a weekend trip planned, some big work projects to tackle and then Thanksgiving! So maybe it won’t be as calm as I hoped? Haha! We will have to see!

Thanks so much for stopping by for a look at life lately and what I’m currently up to.

Have a happy Halloween and I will see you back here on Friday!

One last fall walk!
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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #117

Hello all! 

Happy Friday! I hope you had a fantastic week. I don’t know about you, but I am ready for the weekend! Fall is flying by, I truly can’t believe we are almost to November. November always feels like the calm before the storm of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, which don’t get me wrong, I love, but it can also be very chaotic. Needless to say, I’m enjoying the slower fall days with sunshine and crisper temperatures for as long as I can. 

Signs of fall at the farmer’s market

To no one’s surprise, today’s Friday Favorites features A LOT of seasonal items. How can I resist seasonal flavors and scents?! I plan on trying all the fall things until Thanksgiving and then it’s switch to Christmas! Anyways, let’s get to some of my favorite things from the past week as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

Solo Dates– I was talking to a friend years ago about the concept of solo dates, essentially it’s making the decision to take yourself for an activity or date. I spent a lot of time alone in college and gained a lot of independence that way. But since I began working, I haven’t had too much time for myself to take myself out on a “date”, I would often do things with family, friends or my boyfriend. This year I wanted to make more of a point to have solo dates. I’ve only done it a few times, but I’ve had good experiences. So far, I have visited a new library and actually took the time to sit and read and I’ve also gone on walks after work to different parks. Other examples of solo dates would be taking yourself out to dinner, going shopping or trying a new coffee shop, or even seeing a movie by yourself. You don’t have to spend a lot of money, in fact, most of these dates are free, the point is doing something for yourself. I’ve enjoyed the independence I’ve gained by doing these solo dates and I look forward to doing more of them. 

Snapshot from a recent solo date

Cinnamon Roll Flavored Rice Cakes– Are you surprised there’s a seasonal food item in this week’s Friday Favorites?! I’m not haha!! I really have started to enjoy rice cakes especially with peanut butter and banana or even jelly. When I saw my local grocery store had cinnamon roll flavored rice cakes, I had to try them. They have the perfect amount of flavor of fall. There’s just a drizzle of maple so you can still enjoy other toppings with them if you like. Definitely a favorite snack for this week.

New Candle Scent-Sticking with seasonal flavors and scents, my mom picked me up this candle from Michael’s Craft store. They always have great deals when it comes to candles. You can get multiple, large candles for a great price. The names of the scents are so creative and they smell so good too, I also love how the scent lasts after you blow the candle out. My current pick is Candy Corn Maze, and yes it does smell like candy corn.

Darling Girls– In honor of spooky season, I’ve been trying to read more mysteries and thrillers. I’ve had Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth on hold at the library for a while and couldn’t wait to start reading when it was my turn to get it. It tells the story of three foster sisters who learn that a dead body is found under the house they grew up in. Who does the body belong to and how did they die? There were so many twists and turns that I was not expecting, even up until the last chapter. 5 stars from me!

Magnolia Cook Books– I mentioned last week that I had been checking cookbooks out of the library to try different recipes and I have been loving this life hack. I will browse lots of different cookbooks on the shelves, but I have really been loving Magnolia cookbooks by Joanna Gaines. She has so many unique recipes, from sweet to savory and everything in between. What I also really love about her cookbooks is the how fresh, natural and even simple her recipes are. It has definitely inspired me to think outside the box when it comes to cooking and baking. If you are an avid cooker or baker, who are some of your favorite cookbook authors? I would love to get any other suggestions, especially as we get closer to the holidays and I will be ramping up my time in the kitchen.

That’s a look at some of my favorite moments and items from this week, tell me, what has brought you JOY recently? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Friday!

Categories
Fabulous living

The Lazy Genius Life

Hello everyone! 

Happy Wednesday! How has your week been going? Feeling good and productive or just barely getting by? We are halfway to the weekend and nearing the end of October. I’m excited to continue to check off things from my fall bucket list over the next few weeks and weekends.

 

Another sign of fall, so many beautiful mums this time of year!

One of the things I am passionate about is personal development and growth. I truly believe no matter where you are in life or how old you are, you can be constantly changing, growing, and adapting. 

If you have been following my blog for a while you may recall I went through a big period of growth in college. I gained a lot of independence and really found myself in a new environment. 

I went through a similar transition when I started my first job. I went from a college student to a working professional, moved back home, met new people, and began my career.

Whether you are experiencing big or small changes, I believe we can learn and grow from them. 

One resource that I have really grown to love and learn from is the Lazy Genius Way. You may have heard of the podcast by Kendra Adachi. It has been around for years, but I found it within the last year and I have learned so much from her and this way of life. She also has published three books, (one just came out this month and I’m obsessed with it). Her tagline or mission is “Be a Genius about things that matter and Lazy about things that don’t”. I love the energy and kindness she brings to each podcast episode, book, newsletter and Instagram post.

She releases podcasts episodes every week and covers a variety of topics from starting small, time management, living in your season, and naming what matters. She also created thirteen principles to follow and steps to lazy genius your life. 

I look forward to her podcasts every week, they run between 25-50 minutes and are perfect for advice, life hacks, productivity, organization, time management and everything in between. Listening to her podcasts are one of my favorite moments throughout the week. I have even gone back and listened to older episodes or re-listened to my favorite ones. If you want to dip your toes in The Lazy Genius life, this is a great way to begin.

Let’s say you want to take it a step further, Adachi has three books that are informative, thought provoking and easy to read. I have found myself reading them in her voice. Her first book is called “The Lazy Genius Way” and in the book she breaks down the thirteen lazy genius principles, what they are and how to incorporate them into your life. This is a great building block to her podcast.

Her second book is “The Lazy Genius Kitchen”, it’s not a cookbook, rather it’s a way to use your kitchen, food, ingredients, and space to the best of your ability and a way that works for you. That’s another thing Adachi stresses in her books and podcasts, not everyone’s lives look the exact same, what works for someone else may not work for you and that’s okay. The Lazy Genius Kitchen is a great tool for navigating your space. 

Her third and most recent book is called “The Plan”, it’s all about time management, organization and most importantly, giving yourself compassion. What I love about this book is that she doesn’t give a list to follow or things to do to manage your time better, rather she gives you tools and examples that you can tailor to your life. I think this is such an important thing to remember. 

Some of the biggest lessons I have taken away from Adachi through her books and podcasts include starting small, naming what matters, compassionate time management, learning to pivot rather than plan and the importance of rest. I come away after an episode, book, or newsletter, learning something new and having tools that can help me in so many different avenues of life. 

I truly believe that you can always be learning and adapting in life and you never know how one person or book can change your life. I know I have changed my mindset and how I approach situations by using the tools I have learned from Adachi and The Lazy Genius Way. This is by no means a sponsored post, this is me simply sharing my love and appreciation for this new way of thinking. You can learn more about Kendra Adachi and the Lazy Genius Collective here. I hope this inspires you to check out Kendra or be open to a new book, podcast or concept, who knows, it may change your life! 

Happy Wednesday friends!!!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #116

Hello All! Happy Friday! I hope you had a wonderful week! I have a packed full weekend around the corner with family time, activities, and some fall fun thrown in there too! It will be a busy, but fun weekend. 

Pumpkin patches and farmer’s market stands bring me so much JOY!

Before I hit the ground running today, I wanted to share some things that I have been loving (hint-most of them are fall and entertainment favorites) as I link up with with Erika and Andrea.

Light a candle, curl up with a blanket and let’s dive in!

The Simple Sophisticate– Shay Shull of Mix and Match Mama recommended this podcast on her blog and I finally got around to listening to it. Shannon Ables started the podcast after her blog back in 2014 and still continues with episodes to this day. The theme of the podcast is all about living a simpler, calmer, and French way of life. Ables has such a soothing voice and attitude that you will find yourself relaxing and feeling peaceful no matter what she is talking about. I started at the beginning of the podcast and I have been loving all the different themes and topics. Episodes vary from 30-60 mins. Definitely worth giving it a listen to over the next few weeks.

The Home Edit– I love following The Home Edit on Instagram and love their show on Netflix too. I decided to check out Clea and Joanna’s book during my latest library haul and learned a lot from it. They give practical advice and ways to organize your spaces. Not only do they write about ways to organize areas, but they have great photos to demonstrate it too. After reading their book, I wanted to do a massive purge and organization.

Fall Harvest Mix-If you have been following along for a while, you know I love a good festival or seasonal food. My local grocery store had this seasonal harvest mix and I had to give it a try. It’s a delicious combo of sweet and salty. There’s peanuts, M&M, cereal, and peanut butter cups. It’s by no means a healthy trail mix, but it certainly satisfies the sweet and salty tooth. 

Gilmore Girls- Watching Gilmore Girls was on my fall bucket list and I’m slowing making my way through it. I started the show last year, but then life happened and I never finished it. Well, now I am back on the Gilmore Girls bandwagon and I have been loving it. It’s the perfect fall show to cozy up and enjoy. I know this will also help me get through the cold winter months as well too.

Nobody Wants This- This new Netflix mini-series is what everyone is talking about. Nobody Wants This stars Kristen Bell and Adam Brody and it’s all about a couple who starts dating later in life after not having luck in the dating department. There are so many funny one-liners and relationship connections besides the romance between the two main characters. I really loved the message how you can have a relationship after you have worked hard in your career. There are only ten episodes and they last between 20-30 mins, perfect to binge watch in a weekend. 

If the weather is getting cooler by you, I hope these favorites gave you something new to try or enjoy this weekend. What have been some things you have been loving this week? Let me know in the comments below! 

Happy Fall Friday!

Categories
Fabulous living

What I Learned From Two Years of Gardening

Hello All!

Happy Wednesday! We are in full on cozy season here, but I am still trying to get outdoors as much as I can even if it’s just for a walk with my dogs. 

A crisp morning where you can truly see all the signs of changing seasons.

Speaking of the outdoors, I am just wrapping my second summer of growing a garden and year two went very differently than year one.

Here’s my post from the start of the season when I had high hopes for this summer.

This year I had a mix of seeds and plants for vegetables. I had plans to harvest pumpkins, squash, strawberries, onions, peas, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers (yes, I know, I had a lot of expectations).

I kept my plants in a mix of soil and pots in different areas. I checked on them every day and watered them consistently and made sure they had lots of sun.

Unfortunately, this year’s harvest was not as plentiful as my first year. I found that the plants that I purchased did better than the seeds. 

Halfway through the summer

Some of my seeds did not even produce vegetables, which was a bit disappointing. 

The end of the season

I did get some vegetables like a tomato, a cucumber, and some strawberries and they were delicious and so flavorful!

Some of the tomatoes I grew
My cucumber!
More veggies

Once again, it was a fun experience, but a bit frustrating when I didn’t get the results I was hoping for.

Enjoying some of the fruits of my labor

My plan is to try and grow more vegetables next year and I goal is to buy plants instead of seeds.

Some of my fruits
Even more fruits, small, but mighty!

If you are an avid gardener, what advice would you give and did you have a successful harvest? 

The last of my harvest

I would love to hear about your experience so I can better prepare for next year.

Happy Gardening!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #115

Hello all! Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week and have something fun planned for the weekend. I am excited for all things fall this weekend as it will be a busy few days with lots going on. Needless to say, I am counting down to the weekend. 

Hint, this weekend will involve lots of festive, fall fun!

Before we get to all the fall fun this weekend, I wanted to share some favorite things of mine from this past week. Without realizing it, there’s a bit of a theme to today’s post, books and fall food, so if you are fans of either of those, you are in for a treat.

Speaking of treats, one of my most recent treats…snickerdoodles!

Let’s get to it as I link up with Erika and Andrea.

The Plan– Kendra Adachi’s third book The Plan is finally out. I got a chance to read it ahead of time and loved it. I plan on re-reading it now that it’s out in the world. Like Adachi’s other books, this one is very conversational and easy to follow. Not only does she talk about planning and organizing, but she gives real life examples and ways to get your life in order. She touches on her Lazy Genius principles and introduces some new ideas too! I will have a full post about the Lazy Genius way of thinking coming soon, but until then, go out and read The Plan today!

Fall Shows– With fall, comes the return of fall tv shows. Besides binge watching some of my favorite tv shows, I have been enjoying weekly shows like Grey’s Anatomy and The Masked Singer. I have watched these shows for years and always look forward to the weekly episodes. Even though I do love a good binge watch, it’s nice to look forward to a show every week to see what happens next.

Cook Books from the Library– I had a great library book haul a few weeks ago and that included some cookbooks. I love cooking, baking, and trying new recipes and often get ideas and inspiration from Pinterest. There’s nothing quite like flipping through a cookbook for new tastes and flavors. I recently checked out the second Magnolia cookbook by Joanna Gaines and have found so many great recipes that I can’t wait to try. 

Maple Granola– Speaking of food, I love seasonal foods and treats and can’t resist when I see something seasonal at the grocery store. I have been on a granola kick with yogurt and berries and decided to add some maple flavored granola to my rotation. It has been a delicious success. I enjoy granola on its own, but there’s something extra sweet with the maple flavor that screams fall. It’s a nice, subtle nod to the season. 

The Summer Pact– I have had The Summer Pact on my to-be-read list for the longest time and finally got around to reading it. It’s by Emily Giffin and I have read several of her books. She was recently on Books, Beach and Beyond to talk about her latest book and after hearing her talk about it, I knew I had to read it. It’s about three friends who go on a trip together in honor of their fourth friend who died while they were all in college. The three current friends are all at different crossroads in their lives and are all looking for clarity in their own ways. I really liked the book, but felt that it wrapped up a little too quickly. Just a warning, there is talks of mental health and suicide in the book. But, overall, well worth the read!

That’s a look into life lately and what I’m loving! I hope you have a wonderful fall-like weekend! See you back here on Wednesday!

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Let's Look

Let’s Look: How We Prep for the Holidays

Hello all! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week as we made it to hump day! I don’t know about you, but it is full on fall here, we have had rainy days, leaves falling and some sunshine peaking through, but the changing weather is getting me excited for the next few months.

Cool crisp fall mornings

This year has been flying by, I can’t believe we are already at the second week of October. It’s time for another Let’s Look, where we share different parts of our lives. Each month, I link up with  Shay and Erika to share my thoughts on different topics. 

Here’s what we have covered so far this year:

In January, we talked about How We Clean Our Closets.

In February, the topic was Things We Do Every Day

In March, it was all about what’s in our Grocery Carts

In April, we chatted about our Quiet and Prayer Time.

In May, we talked about Summer Staples.

In June, we shared our Summer Schedules.

In July, we chatted about our favorite TV Shows and Podcasts.

In August, we learned about our Pantry Staples

In September, we shared Easy Weeknight Meals

This month, the topic is how we prep for the holidays. I love all the seasons, summer is by far my favorite, but I do enjoy the “Ber” months…September, October, November and December. There is so much to look forward to, from the holidays, traditions, extra family time, and festivities. 

Fall, one of my favorite times of the year

As we get closer to the holiday months, I’m sharing how I prep for all the fun and I hope you will share some of your holiday prep hacks too! I don’t have my own home or family yet, so how I prepare may look a little different.

I always like to prep for the holiday seasons, by creating bucket lists, by writing a bucket or goal list, this ensures that things that I want or hope to get done, get accomplished. Some are big activities and others are little outings or things I want to cook or bake. For example, my fall bucket list includes celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, watching festive movies, enjoying holiday treats and Halloween activities.

I don’t know how I will celebrate Halloween on the actual holiday, but I do plan on making some festive treats, decorating and enjoying some Halloween movies. 

Some fall treats from last year

As far as Thanksgiving goes, we typically enjoy the holiday with family and then we have our own Thanksgiving dinner the weekend after. Preparations for Thanksgiving looks like figuring out what traditional dishes will be made, baking pies, and doing some decorating around the house. These are subtle ways to celebrate the holiday. There’s so much cooking and baking that goes into Thanksgiving that it is nice to just enjoy the time with family. 

A delicious, Thanksgiving spread!

Christmas always comes with the most prep. Once again, I make a Christmas bucket list of things I want to do around the Christmas season, from ice skating, baking cookies, shopping, looking at lights, and decorating. I like to make the most out of the Christmas season.

Prep for Christmas starts with decorating the day after Thanksgiving, it’s a tradition we have been doing for years and it’s always one of my favorite things.

I will also make a master list of people I want to buy for and set a budget. I keep a running list in my phone of who I need to buy for, what the gift is, the status of it, and how much I spent. Once all the gifts have arrived, I take time to wrap them all and watch a holiday movie. This method always keeps me organized.

I love to bake cookies around the holidays and one of the ways that I prep is by making one or two types of cookies a week leading up to Christmas. I will share some with family after I bake them and then store the rest for the holidays. This method ensures that I get all my baking done, but I’m not stressed getting it done.

After all the prep is done, it’s time to enjoy the holidays and relax. There’s only so much prep you can do, what matters is the end result and spending time with family and loved one around the holidays. They will be here before we know it, so I want to know what hacks you have to make the holidays smoother? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Holiday Prepping!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #114

Hello all! 

Happy Friday! 

I hope you had a wonderful week and are ready for the weekend. It’s the first weekend of October and it certainly feels like October. Fall is settling in which means several weekends of pumpkin patches, apple picking, leaves falling and cooler temperatures.

First signs of fall with the changing leaves

I’m excited to start crossing things off my fall bucket list. 

Before we get to a weekend of fall fun, I wanted to share some things that I have been loving this week as I link up with Erika and Andrea 

Midnight at the Pera Palace– The second season of Midnight at the Pera Palace came out towards the end of September and I have been slowly making my way through the season. It picks up right where season one end as storyline goes back and forth between the past and present. Although it can be hard to follow since it’s in a different language, the English dialogue does help, so do the subtitles.

Dot Pretzels-I was influenced by Erika and Shay to try these Dot pretzels and they are so good! I have only tried the original flavor, but I love the extra bite and zest they have. Definitely more flavorful than your average pretzel, but so delicious. I plan on trying on the other flavors too!

Large Lavender Lotion– I love lavender lotion and use it every night. I had been getting small bottles of lavender hand cream and lotion, but kept having to purchase refills more often than I would have liked. I decided to buy a large bottle of lavender lotion from Bath and Body Works. I love using a pump every night, it not only is softens my skin but soothes me as well. Definitely worth paying more for more product.

A Family Affair– Have you seen A Family Affair on Netflix? It stars Nicole Kidman and Zac Efron. It’s all about a widowed mom who falls for her daughter’s boss and let’s say things become quite the family affair. Although the storyline is for mature audiences, I really enjoyed watching it and I think the casting and chemistry was well done. Definitely a movie with adding to your watch list for your next movie night.

People We Meet on Vacation Casting– I’m a big fan of Emily Henry and I have read all of her books. Some are currently in the works to be made into movies or mini series, including People We Meet on Vacation! This is one of my favorite books by Henry and I can’t wait to see the adaptation. I’m familiar with some of the actors and actresses but I can’t wait to see them bring these characters to life. 

That’s a look into what I’m loving this week! As we fully embrace fall, tell me what’s on your bucket list for this month?! Let me know in the comments below! Happy Fall Friday!

Categories
Travel

Helpful Travel Hacks and Hints

Hi everyone and happy October. I hope your next few weeks are filled with fall fun, whether it be in the form of decorating, warm foods, walks, or corn mazes.

I’ve been spending as much time as I can outdoors while the weather is still nice.

I have been in a season of travel, from longer trips to weekend getaways and have been picking up some travel hacks along the way. 

If you are in a season of travel too or preparing for one with the holidays approaching, here’s some helpful hints I have picked up.

  • Packing Cubes– These packing cubes have been a game changer for me, especially for longer travels. I used packing cubes when I went to Rome and I fit so much in my carry-on. I had more than enough space for souvenirs to bring back and for all my clothes. They are also great for keeping dirty and clean clothes separated during and after your trip.
  • Travel Size Inventory- I have talked a lot about using sample beauty products when traveling. This is a great opportunity to use products you may be hesitant to try at home. I also try to use products that I am almost out of it and can throw away when I am away to save space coming back and to come home to fresh and fully stocked products. My motto is use it lose it!
  • Make a List and Take a Photo– I always make a list of what to pack when I leave whether it’s for a week or an overnight trip. I like to keep it in my phone, so I always have it with me. It also makes it easier when checking things off to make sure you have everything when you return. If you are a more visual person, lay out everything you want to bring and snap a photo. When you are ready to come home, check the photo to make sure everything is accounted for.
  • Pick a Color Scheme– I always try to be mindful when I am packing and that comes in the form of what I am bringing. I tend to choose a color scheme and stick with it. For example, in Italy, I wore black, white and red. This helped mix and match outfits and shoes. For a recent weekend away, I chose blue and white with a few accent colors, they were all neutral which made it easy to mix and match clothing items. Choosing a color scheme also made packing easier when you are only looking for a few colors, plus it helps with jewelry and accessories.
Black and white was my go-to colors for Italy
  • Bring an Empty Water Bottle– If you are flying or driving, bring an empty water bottle. This is very helpful when flying and you get thirsty as there are always places to refill your cups. If you are driving, it doesn’t hurt to have a cup to fill up at gas stations or rest stops, plus it saves you money and helps the environment.
This travel mug came in handy for a weekend out of town
  • Be Mindful of Your Bags– Think practicality over cute. I tend to be practical with what bags and luggage I am using, but I have fallen victim to choosing cute over practical and I faced the consequences. Rolling suitcases and backpacks may be the smarter decision when flying as opposed to totes. However, a tote could be great for a road trip for easy access for snacks and toys for kids. Always be thinking about what’s the best option for organization and practicality.
Practical for flying
Not as practical for flying…lesson learned

There you have it, some helpful hints that I have picked up when traveling. I am by no means an expert, so I am always open to new ideas. Tell me: what are some of your travel tips and advice? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Travels!