Tag: baseball games

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Currently

Currently #54

Hi everyone!

I can’t believe we are at the end of June. This summer is going by so fast and it’s making me sad. There are a lot of good things on the horizon, but also some major changes. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and enjoy where I am at. Since we are at the end of the month, it’s time for another Currently. Here’s a look into life lately.

What I’ve Been Up To:

Since I last caught you up on life at the end of May, a lot has happened. 

I have been enjoying a lot of outside time. I have been to minor league and major league games, including a quick trip to Cleveland to see the Guardians play and win!

Beautiful night for baseball
Gorgeous afternoon for a Guards win!

I also celebrated my 26th birthday with dinner at home with my family and boyfriend and cake and presents. We had Jessie James Decker’s Can of Cola Cake with raspberries and it was delicious.

A fun day!
A sweet night!

I’ve spent some time at the local zoo and enjoyed a picnic too. 

Perfect summer day!

I’ve been enjoying lots of outdoor meals!

I’ve also been sneaking in working from outside on days off.

Lots of ice cream runs on hot days!

And Morning walks and drinks!

What I’m Wearing:

I have been loving a mix of casual and work outfits including this skort and t-shirt combination for a casual look.

I also have been wearing bold and bright colors in the summer, like this new suit from J.Crew.

Some blue and white too!

What I’m Reading:

Expiration Dates– Expiration Dates was such a fun read by Rebecca Serle. I have really enjoyed her other books and this one didn’t disappoint. It’s all about a girl who always gets a note and date of when each of her relationships will end. This happens for years until she gets a note with no end date. Has she finally met her match or is it a trick with fate? There were some unexpected twists and turns that I didn’t see coming that really added to the plot. The ending was my favorite, definitely a summer read. 

The Perfect Marriage– The Perfect Marriage was a mystery/ thriller that I didn’t know I needed to read, and it was one of my favorite books that I have read in months. From the outside, it looks like this couple has the perfect marriage, that is until the husband’s mistress ends up dead. The person who defends the husband? His wife, who is a top attorney. I loved the mystery of who killed the mistress and seeing how more people got caught into the web of the marriage. I stayed up late and woke up early to finish it.

The Heiress– The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is all about a young man who returns to his family’s estate to collect his inheritance. Once he arrives, he learns there’s more to the family story than he realized and everyone has a secret and ulterior motive, including his own mother. The books goes back and forth between the present day and letters that are written talking about what happened. There are a lot of characters which can be hard to keep track. But overall, it was a good book with a really good and unexpected ending.

It Had to Be You– It Had to Be You by Mary Higgins Clark was a page turner and thriller that had me staying up late to finish it. It’s all about twin brothers who are accused of murdering their parents. Years later, the case is reopened and new evidence is brought to light. It took a while for it to pick up, but once it did, I was hooked. Definitely recommend it!

How to End a Love Story- How to End a Love Story is by Yulin Kuang. This is a new to me author, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s all about a young woman whose book gets turned into a tv show, one of the writers is someone from her past. Will the two resolve their differences and work together or is the past too much to move forward together? I really loved the character development and the behind the scenes of the making of the show.

What I’m Watching:

Bridgerton is back, both installments of the new season dropped over the past month. Although, I’m not a huge fan of the character Penelope, she really grew on me this season and really matured too. I also loved the costumes, setting and modern music tied in.

What I’m Cooking:

This has been such a good month for cooking and it’s been filled with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and grilling.

Chinese Chicken Salad was a hit from Jessie James Decker’s cookbook.

Chinese Chicken Salad

Caprese Chicken– I grilled chicken and add fresh mozzarella, tomato and balsamic for my birthday dinner. We also as shrimp pineapple skewers for an appetizer and a Cesear salad which was delicious. We ended the night with Jessie James Decker’s Can of Cola cake with raspberries and ice cream. Yum!

Pineapple Shrimp Rice- I got this recipe from Mix and Match Mama. I love how easy it was to make and how light and fresh it was, while still being filling.

Bowls– I’ve been enjoying bowls for lunch with things I have in my fridge. On this day, I mixed black beans, corn, rice, pork and salsa for Tex Mex bowl-yum!

Citrus Salmon with Orzo and sides- This was a light and refreshing, but most importantly, healthy dinner. All wins in my book in the summer.

Apricot Ham and Broccoli Salad– Both of these recipes are from the cookbook, Brunch with Babes. I have been saving recipes to try and this month was perfect. I love the flavor of the ham and the crunch of the salad.

What Inspires Me:

I have been reading Savannah Guthrie’s book, Mostly What God Does, every night and I have been loving ending my day with something prayerful and to cal

m my mind. This quote really stood out to me.

My sweet friend Sarah got me a necklace for my birthday, and it came with this beautiful quote. So inspiring especially in the summer months.

Some inspiration from Simplified in June!

What I Accomplished:

I have been making my way through my summer bucket list and trying to soak up as much time as I can outside. 

I’ve done that by enjoying ice cream or milkshake runs.

Reading by the pool

Planting Flowers

Planting my garden


Here we have strawberries, zuchinni, pumpkins, and squash
Here are carrots, onions, peas, tomatoes, and peppers

I also ran my furthest this month of 8 miles. I was very proud of that accomplishment.

Goals from Last Month: I really wanted to make a point to soak up summer and enjoy the mornings and nights when I could. I still have a ways to go on my summer bucket list, but I’m just hoping summer slows down. I’m not ready for it to end.

I checked Donuts and Sunrise off my Summer Bucket List

I also ventured to a new place for a morning hike.

I’ve gotten to enjoy dinner by the water.

Followed by ice cream runs!

A day trip to Deep Creek, Maryland happened this month, my first time for a day of hiking and hitting the beach and reading.

Goals from This Month: Next month will be busy between the Fourth of July and celebrations. I have a wedding to go to and I want to make plans to see friends while still enjoying summer and working too. It will be busy but oh so fun!

Both my pups enjoying the warm weather!
Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Bucket List

Hello all!

Happy June! I hope you had a great first weekend of June and are enjoying the unofficial start to the summer season. Memorial Day and June always gets me in the summer spirit and with that comes my summer bucket list.

I did fairly well with my spring bucket list, but I am excited for the next few months of summer fun activities, both local and around the region. 

Here’s a look at what I hope to accomplish over the next few months and who knows, maybe it will give you some ideas too!

-Watch the sunrise and sunset at the beach with fresh donuts

-Summer Walks at some of my favorite spots (North East, Wintergreen Gorge)

-Baseball Games

-Zoo Trips

-Ice Cream Dates (Denny’s Creamland, Whippy Dip, Lucky Duck, J’s)

-Beach Day and Sara’s

-Lakeside Bagel and Edinboro with Mini Golf

-Run a 10K

-Grilling near and far

-Pool Days

-Family Trip

-Day Trips

-Double Dates

-Walks with Friends 

-Fruit Picking

-Heritage Festivals

-Summer Picnics

-Kayak

-Visit a New Place

That’s a look at what I hope to accomplish this summer. What’s on your summer bucket list or summer to do? I would love to hear from you! Have a fabulous Wednesday!

Categories
Currently

Currently #53

Hello All! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are all having a great week. Whether it has been a long week or its flying by, I hope this post is a nice midweek pick-me-up. We have been experiencing gorgeous weather over the past few days, it has been in the 80’s and I am here for it, especially in May.

My currently post is a bit earlier this month, due to a special post next week. 

Here’s a look into my life lately.

What I’ve Been Up To:

Since my last Currently post at the end of April, I hit a new running distance of six and a half miles.

Then I conquered my May goal of running 7 miles! I was especially proud of how much I have built up my stamina and I look forward to continuing to do so. 

I have also been enjoying the warm weather and we have been savoring lots of outside time, including eating meals outdoors. At the tail end of April, we ate dinner outside for three nights in a row and it was beautiful, less cleanup, more time outside and lots of fresh air and sunshine. 

Grilling outdoors makes me happy!

My boyfriend and I spent some time detailing cars this month which was hard work but definitely worth it.

I also got to enjoy my first baseball game of the season, the weather was absolutely perfect!

My mom and I celebrated Mother’s Day with a build your own bouquet which was so fun!

I have been enjoying lots of walks with friends outdoors too!

Lots of time outdoors

I made my way to the beach for grilling and to watch the sunset.

First sunset of the season

I made my way to Cleveland for a quick trip and had a delicious meal in Little Italy.

A night out in the city
Followed by a delicious meal!

What I’m Wearing:

In the cooler days of spring, this has been my spring uniform, leggings, slip on sneakers, and a neutral top.

I also got a fresh cut for summer

What I’m Reading:

Lessons in Chemistry– is all about a chemist who hosts a cooking show in the 1960’s. I loved the combination of science and cooking and how they were intertwined throughout the book. The romance between Calvin and Elizabeth made my heart soar, but my favorite part was the importance of women working in a male dominated field in the 1960’s.

Tom Lake- this was a harder one to get into but I’m glad I read it. It’s all about a woman who shares the story about a man she loved before her husband with her grown daughter. The book goes back and forth between the past and present. The theme of the book is all about the lives that parents have before their children. I found the book to be a bit slow at times, but after it was recommended to me by friends and I read about it online I am glad I read it.

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston and it’s all about a young woman who falls in love with a man after they both end up in the same apartment, the catch? They are from different times, she’s seven years ahead of him. How does this relationship work and will they find each other in the future? You will have to read to find out. I loved the description, the setting, the characters and all the details about food which is a huge part of the book. Definitely a fun read!

The Women in Me by Britney Spears is a memoir by Britney herself. I’m glad I read it after it getting recommended to me and after hearing about it when it came out. I have never been a huge Britney Spears fan, but I did learn a lot about the pop singer. I thought she was very open and vulnerable in her writing and sharing of her story. I thought she shed a lot of light on different headlines, and it was interesting to get her perspective on things. However, I wish more things were explained and gaps were filled. Overall, I thought it was an interesting read and I did enjoy talking to my friends who had read it too. I would recommend this for a girl’s book club read if everyone is interested in the topic. 

Outlive– by Peter Attia was a book recommended by Shay Shull and it’s all about longevity from all different aspects of your life. The author focuses on fitness, nutrition, emotional health, mental health, sleep, and how they are all connected. There is a heavy science component to the book but it’s very easy to understand. I really appreciated how the author connects all these different aspects of your life and how you can make small changes for a longer and healthier life. It’s one of the best health and wellness books I have read in a long time.

What I’m Watching:

A lot of my weekly series wrapped up this month, from the Masked Singer to Grey’s Anatomy. 

I have watched a few series based on books I read like Dear Edward and Lessons in Chemistry which I enjoyed both.

I think both books and series could be consumed on their own, but it was nice to visually see the stories I enjoyed so much.

I also started watching the new season of Bridgerton and have been loving this season.

What I’m Cooking: It’s been a busy month in the kitchen filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Air Fryer peanut Butter cookies-I started the month out by trying a recipe for air fryer peanut butter cookies. They turned out okay, but I think I will stick to my traditional peanut butter cookies in the oven.

Bacon Chopped Salad- This was super easy to assemble and was so healthy. I know I will be making this again in the summer. Make a salad with all your favorite vegetables, add in grilled chicken, corn, avocado, and chopped bacon and you are in for a flavorful and healthy meal. 

Homemade Chipotle Bowls- This was a super easy to prep and healthy meal. This was my own take on Chipotle’s bowls- just cook rice and your favorite protein and add your favorite veggies and toppings. I personally love corn, black beans, avocados, sour cream, and cheese.

Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta Bowls- Another easy bowl recipe. Cook your favorite pasta with grilled chicken and a caesar salad and combine for a hearty and tasty meal.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice came from Jessie James Decker’s cook book. I love how this dish was so easy and fast to make in one pan, plus it was filling. The best part was that there was no leftovers.

What Inspires Me:

The sunshine and spring weather!! Here’s a look at some of my favorite moments.

Plus who can resist ice cream?!
Fresh flowers and planting has made me smile!
Grilling by the water
A surf and turf for dinner

What I Accomplished: 

This was a busy month with end of school year fun, people moving home, graduations and celebrating birthdays and holidays.

My puppies enjoyed lots of sunshine!
And time indoors relaxing!

Goals from Last Month: In the midst of all the craziness I did my best to really be present and soak up the season I am in.

Perfect day for a walk this week…blue skies and not a cloud in sight
We got to view the Northern Lights this past month from our home which was such a cool experience.
It was beautiful at night!

Goals for this Month: Summer is officially here and that means it will soon be time for my summer bucket list. I’ll be sharing that soon with you all. 

So many signs of spring!
I also enjoyed some trips to the zoo!

That’s a look into life lately and what I’ve been up to this week. I hope you are having a fantastic week so far. See you back here on Friday!

Categories
Fabulous living

Spring Bucket List

Hi friends!

Happy Wednesday!

We are just one week away from the start of Spring! I have experienced a MILD winter, but I am still giddy for more sunshine, warmer air, and outdoors.  We had 70 degree weather last week, followed by fresh snow this weekend. Needless to say, Mother Nature needs to make up her mind.

With that being said, a new season brings a new bucket list of things to do.

I didn’t accomplish as many things as I wanted to on my Winter Bucket List due to the fact we had very little snow. However, I am still pleased with everything I did get done during the slower months of winter. I spent a lot of time reading, watching movies and tv shows, and trying new recipes for dinners and baked goods. Because the weather was so mild, I managed to still get outside a good chunk of time for either walks or runs. I’m a firm believer in getting outdoors as much as possible, you just have to dress for the weather. I have done walks in 25-degree weather and 90-degree weather. You may get hot or cold while outside, but as long as you are dressed appropriately, there’s always an opportunity to move your body and get some fresh air.

Here’s a look at my Winter Bucket List and everything I accomplished. 

As we get ready for Spring, here’s a look at some ideas for fun things to do over the next few months.

Outdoor Walks

Trips to the Zoo

Ice Cream Dates

Decorate for Spring

Switch over Spring Wardrobe

Increase my Running Mileage to Six Miles 

Spring Planting/Gardening

Try New Spring Salads

Use More Citrus in Recipes

Celebrate Easter

Read Outside

Baseball Games

Spend More Time Outdoors

Celebrate my Birthday

Celebrate Memorial Day

These are just some ideas/goals for the next few months. The list will change as more things get added to the calendar, but I always like a good list to refer back to when I’m in a rut and looking for things to do. Tell me: what are some things you hope to accomplish over the spring months? 

Share them below!

Happy Wednesday!

Categories
Fabulous living

2022 Year in Review

Here we are at the end of another year. At the beginning of this year, my motto or phrase of the year was “Building the Best Version of Me”. I really wanted to lean into my routines and rhythms that I established at the beginning of the year and stick to them and I was happy I did that.

It’s been said before that the older you get, the faster the years go by and that is certainly the truth.

This year has been busy with growing in my job, time with family both at home and away, building friends, enjoying hobbies.  

I’m using today’s entry as a both a recap of the past year and a favorite things of 2022 post.

So, let’s begin with a recap:

The beginning winter months of 2022 brought me out in snow and soaking up with outdoors with ice skating, winter walks and trying cross country skiing, something I haven’t tried in years.

Starting the year off with time outside, like skiing.
Time spent ice skating.
And cross country skiing…
Seeing the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit.
I also took in some local theater.

It also brought day trips to Pittsburgh for a trip to museums and time with family. As the weather got warmer, it meant more time outdoors with walks, picnics and trips to the local zoo and different parks. 

Time in Pittsburgh in the spring
I love taking in all the architecture.
First zoo trip of the year.
Celebrating Easter traditions.

Both of my brothers graduated in the Spring, one from college and one from high school, so it was fun to celebrate their milestones as a family. I also celebrated my 24th year around the sun. 

First signs of spring.
Cheers to 24!

I tried to spend as much time outdoors as possible in the summer months, from walks, to reading outdoors, picnics, and countless meals outside, our winters are long, so I tred to take advantage of the summer as much as I can.

I went to the National Comedy Center this year.
Summer picnics outdoors.
Drive-in dates.

I met up with friends through the summer months for dinners, or coffee or walks. I also did some traveling with day trips with family and my boyfriend and then some meet ups with friends too. My family and I got away for a few days with and went to the ocean which was such a fun escape.

Beach days in the summer
One of the many places I went for hikes for in the summer.
It felt so good to relax for a few days at the beach!
More zoo trips!
Fair fun!
I spent so much time reading outdoors.
I enjoyed sunrises and sunsets.

The summer was also filled with baseball games, strawberry picking, zoos, bonfires, beach days, and grilling. I tried to head outside as much as I could when the seasons changed from summer to fall.

Day trips to Pittsburgh
Lots of burgers on the grill.
Beautiful night for baseball
Strawberry picking summer fun!
Bonfire nights.
In my happy place!
I went to my first MLB game this summer.
And ice cream nights!
I fell in love with avocado toast this summer too.
I enjoyed farmer’s markets this summer too.

But as the winds changed, I had to layer up for fall walks, leaf peeping and apple picking. I tried to do as much baking as possible when I was cooped up indoors.

Fall drives.
Lots of fall baking
Enjoying Beautiful Fall Walks
Apple picking fun!
First time seeing this majestic waterfall.
Making Halloween treats too.

The last chunk of the year was filled with all things holidays. From Halloween movies to family at Thanksgiving and all the Christmas and holiday cheer. The last few months are always my favorite time of the year.

Family movie night for Halloween.
More fall baking.
Hello holiday cheer!
All the Christmas spirit, from movies to decor, to hot cocoa.
Holiday fun!

That was a bit of a recap, now here’s some of my favorite things from the past 12 months:

Favorite Show: This is Us: the Final Season

Favorite Binge Watch: Downton Abbey (both the series and the movies)

Favorite New Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid (new to me!!)

Favorite New Movie: Elvis

Favorite Artist or Song: Taylor Swift’s Midnights

Favorite Adventure: First MLB Game in Cleveland to see the Guardians

This is a snapshot of this past year, it can be easy to forgot or not recall all the little moments that make up the past 365 days. This year has been so fulfilling and fun. I don’t know what the new year will bring, but I’m ready to embrace the change, take opportunities (even the scary ones), and make every moment count.

Thank you 2022…let’s ring in the new year!