Tag: end of the month

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #118

Hello all! Happy Friday and Happy November 1!

How was your Halloween? Did you pass out candy, take your kiddos trick or treating or stay in for a cozy meal and spooky or not so spooky movie?

Here’s how I celebrated the holiday.

I started the morning with an early run
I made a festive taco soup
We had lots of tasty treats!
I even dressed up my dog!

I am in a busy season of life right now with work, but the light is at the end of the tunnel, which is a relief. I’m doing my best to pace myself in the midst of the craziness. Here’s a few things that have kept me grounded and brought me joy as I link up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s edition of Friday Favorites.

Zen with Jen– I have been listening to this new podcast for a few weeks and wanted to share it with you. Zen with Jen is a weekly podcast that drops on Mondays, where Jenni shares bite-size, yoga, mindfulness and mediation techniques. Each episode lasts about five minutes but it’s centered around taking time for yourself through the day. Jenni has been teaching yoga on zoom for the past few years and it’s been so nice to connect with her in a new way with her podcast. This is a great way to start my day and week.

New Raincoat- I have been on the hunt for a raincoat ever since I got caught in a rain storm in September. I was looking for a durable, waterproof coat that would keep me dry and wasn’t too boxy. I hoped to find something that was sporty but still could be worn out and about.  I also wanted it to be red. I found all those qualities with this raincoat from Land’s End and as a bonus it was on sale too! I have worn it a few times and can’t wait to get more use out of it in the coming weeks.

Emily Henry New book and Cover Reveal– I am a huge Emily Henry fan and she revealed the cover and plot of her latest book that will be launching next year. You can read about it here, but it sounds soooo good. Very Emily Henry-like, but with some new flavors too. When I saw the news, I immediately texted my fellow book worms to get their thoughts on the details. If you are a fan of Emily Henry, what are your thoughts on the book?

Unfrosted- I know this movie has been out for several months, but I just got around to watching it with my boyfriend and we both enjoyed it. Unfrosted tells the story of how the pop tart was created. The concept was cute, but the all star cast of comedians was even better. There were so many cameos and I loved seeing some of my favorite cereal box characters come to life. Definitely worth the watch if you are looking to laugh.

Fall Weather– My favorite thing about this past week has been the fall weather. The leaves, the sunlight, and the warm temperatures have made me love this time of year. Pictures don’t do it justice. I have been trying to sneak out at any time I can to enjoy the leaves and crisp fall weather. My dogs have also enjoyed the warmer weather and rolling in the leaves. There is truly nothing better than getting outdoors for some fresh air after a long day.

Just look at this beauty
Pictures don’t do it justice

I can’t believe October has come to an end, I always say November is the calm before the storm, so I am going to take these next few weeks to prep. How do you like to spend your November? I would love to hear from you, let me know in the comments below!

Happy Friday!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #109

Happy Friday Friends! 


I hope you are had a fulfilling and successful week and are ready for the weekend, I know I am! This week has been different as I am slowly getting back into a new routine after a busy summer and past few weeks. I am still soaking up the warm weather while finding a new normal.

Endings summer with all the fun activities, like baseball games


Here’s a look at some of my favorite things from this past week as I link up with Erika and Andrea for another round of Friday Favorites!

Emily in Paris– Although, it made its return to Netflix a few weeks ago, I have been so busy, I just got around to watching Emily in Paris. Season Four began with five episodes, each about 30 minutes each. You can binge them all at once or spread them out like I did to make them last longer. The fashion, storylines and drama was upped this season and it didn’t disappoint. Emily had some incredible outfits this season and after traveling to Italy myself this year, this season has me itching to go to Paris, France next. 

This season was so good!

It Ends with Us– I have talked about this book and movie a few times and I finally went to see it. One of my best friend’s and I both read the book and we decided to make it a girls date and see the movie, It Ends with Us. There were definitely some changes between the book and movie, but I’m glad I read and saw them both. I think the casting was well done and it was cool to see the characters come to life on the big screen. If you read or saw it, what did you think of it?

Simplified Launch– This past week was the fall launch for Simplified. They unveiled their collection back in the spring, but because I buy the yearly planner, I don’t purchase mine until the fall. I couldn’t wait to place my order for the upcoming year. I decided to go with the 2025 Weekly Planner in Blush Block. The story behind the planner resonated with me as did the pattern. I can’t wait until the new year to start using it.

My planner pick

Touchless Hand Sanitizer– I got this as a gift from a friend and it came in super handy on our trip. Between different modes of transportation, the heat and sweat, I was constantly using hand sanitizer and so was my family. Everyone asked to borrow it through the trip. I loved how compact it was, it’s slim, so it can be put in a clutch or purse. The scent was a melon/lemon scent which was so refreshing, but not too over powering.


Wicked Little Letters– I watched the movie, Wicked Little Letters after it kept coming up on my recommendations on Netflix. It’s all about a woman who receives nasty and vulgar letters from someone. Everyone suspects it’s a former friend of the recipient of the letters and she gets put in jail for writing the letters. That is, until they question if someone else is behind the letters. This was a cute, British movie with many well-known British actors and actresses and it was a fun watch, but I must warn you the language made it R rated, just as a heads up.



That’s a look into what I’ve been loving this past week! Lots of beauty samples and some entertainment. If you are planning one last summer hurrah, consider giving one of these a try! Have a wonderful weekend!!!
See you back here on Wednesday!

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Currently

Currently #51

Hello all! 

Happy Wednesday! I hope you’ve had an enjoyable week so far. We are halfway to the weekend and a few days away from a new month. This weekend is Easter Sunday, and my family will all be together for a few days. Although it will be a short weekend, I’m looking forward to it.

This month flew by, between spring-like days, a few snowy mornings and activities across the month, it was a busy March.

Here’s a look at what I’m currently up to:

What I’ve Been Up To: I have been making my way through my Spring Bucket List. I have already accomplished a few things, but will have to wait for more consistent warm weather to accomplish others.

I have been doing my best to get outdoors and that has included walks with friends, trips to the zoo and running.

First trip to the zoo of the year!

We had a stretch of warm weather and my friend and I went for walks three times in one week, it was great to catch up, get outside and do a free activity.

A day that included all the outside time!

I also got to meet up with one of my college friends for lunch. We met halfway on a day off and it was so good to catch up and share a meal together.

One of the goals I already accomplished was running 6 miles. Although, I was sore for a while after, it felt great to hit another mile.

One of my latest runs and recent records

What I’m Wearing: My wardrobe hasn’t been too exciting as of late, but I have been browsing T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s for some Spring finds. I do see a trip to Old Navy in my future soon to see what things they have on their racks for the new season.

I have been getting some wear out of my new bright, pink jacket from T.J. Maxx. It’s bright for the spring season, but also warm enough for the chilly, early spring days.

I also broke out my green for St. Patrick’s Day!

What I’m Reading:

A majority of March was spent reading the American Royals series. There are four books by Katharine McGee, American Royals, Rivals, Majesty, and Reign.

I have talked about the books in Friday Favorites posts, but in case you missed them. Each book follows the fictionalized Royal family of America. Imagine if the United States had a king and queen. Every book picks up right after the other in this four-part series. Themes of romance, coming of age, service, duty, and love are found in each of the books. They are a young adult genre, so the topics are more PG-13 compared to R. Every book ended with a cliffhanger which made you want to immediately pick up the next one. I really loved how the author wrapped up everything in the final book. Definitely a fun series to read in the spring and summer.

The Last Love Note– I finished The Last Love Note by Emma Grey in four days. I kept looking for pockets of time to keep reading. Without giving too much away, it’s all about a woman who looks to move on and grieve after losing her husband to Alzheimers. The book goes back and forth between his diagnosis and her life after he dies. It’s a story of second loves, grief, moving on and hope. 

Longbourn– I also finished Longbourn. It’s a spinoff Pride and Prejudice based all about the maids and servants who work in the Bennett household. I love Jane Austen and this was such a fun read to take me back to Jane Austen times. Kendra Adachi, the Lazy Genius read and recommened the book and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up. I only wish I read the physical copy of it and not the digital copy of it.

Mother Daughter Murder Night– I saw this book on a few blogs and I couldn’t wait to dive in. Mother Daughter Murder Night tells the story about a mother who moves in with her daughter and granddaughter temporarily, while she’s there, a murder happens in the small town. The grandmother looks to solve it on her own and quickly enlists the help of her daughter and granddaughter. It’s a fun “Who Done It?”, but with the family drama. I really enjoyed the book and couldn’t put it down at the end.

What I’m Watching: 

Some of my favorite shows have made their return after a long hiatus. The Masked Singer came back at the start of the month and it’s been fun to see who gets revealed every week. 

Grey’s Anatomy also came back in the middle of the month. These shows have been keeping me entertained during the week.

What Inspires Me: I have been staying busy in the kitchen over the past few weeks. Here’s some of the recipes I have made.

Air Fryer Salmon Bowls

Lemon Olive Oil Muffins

Homemade Coffee Cake

Crab Cakes 

Homemade Fish Fry

Turkey Pot Pie

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Roasted Chicken

What I Accomplished: 

I enjoyed making my way through my Spring Bucket list as well as seeing family and friends and getting outside.

Donuts for the spring season!
Sunday spread

Goals from Last Month

I enjoyed the early days of spring. I also got to enjoy some St. Patrick’s Day fun!

I made some St. Patrick’s Day cookies for the holiday!
I also got to enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day parade

My brother and I also got to see one of our favorite comedians on tour.

Goals for this Month 

Next month, I am looking forward to trying more spring recipes, spending more time outdoors and having more spring-inspired dates.

This quote left me feeling inspired

That’s a look into what I have been up to this month. I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend if you celebrate! See you back here on Friday!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #48

Hello All! 

It’s the final day of June, but no fear, we still have plenty of summer to enjoy! I just got back from some time with my family at the beach.

The beauty of the beach!

It was great to see some extended family, catch up, and enjoy some time in the water and in the sand. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to make time for family. 

Ending June with ice cream.

This next week will busy between getting back into the swing of things and heading back to work.

Plus, we have the Fourth of July next week, in the middle of the week, no less and then I have plans to see some friends from college. It will be a busy but good week coming up.

Now, that I have caught you up on everything in my world this final Friday in June, it’s time for a new edition of Friday Favorites as I link up with Erika and Andrea!

Super Goop Sunscreen– I know I am so late to the party on this one, but I am on the team Super Goop sunscreen train! I have heard about it for years and got a face sunscreen for my birthday and have worn it a lot. It goes on so easy and has a bit of a glow which I really love. The sunscreen protects you from the sun and acts as a primer for makeup which I found to be super helpful too. On days when I know I am going to be outside all day, I always apply it to my face, do my makeup and then I am good to go. This is easily becoming one of my summer favorites. 

And Just Like That Premiere– The girls are back! I loved watching the premiere of And Just Like That last week. I like how episodes are once a week, they are the perfect mid-week pick me up. I have read a little bit about some cameo appearances and I’m looking forward to see how the storylines make their way into the show. From the setting, the fashion, the nostalgia and the friendship, plus some fun relationships, I know this will be a good season. If you are watching, what are your thoughts so far?

Lululemon Purse– I got my Lululemon cross body purse for Christmas and have been loving it this summer. I brought it on day trips, running errands and out on walks. It’s the perfect size to hold a wallet, keys, a sunglasses, head phones, even a charger. It has come in so handy this summer. I’ll be sharing more about my love for it in next week’s post!

The best summer purse!

New Scent– It’s time for a new scent for summer. I am currently wearing Gingham Gorgeous! I love the fresh, floral scent it brings whenever I put it on. I got it from Bath and Body Works and it will last me months. The perfect, fresh summer scent as we enter July!

New month, new scent!

A Man Called Otto– Have you seen A Man Called Otto? It came out a few months ago, but just recently came onto Netflix. I really love Tom Hanks so I was excited to see this film, plus some of it was filmed in Pittsburgh, how cool!? We started the movie as a family and I finished it on my own. It was definitely a heavier movie dealing with deep topics including suicide, just as a warning. It’s all about a grumpy man who befriends new neighbors and how they get him to come out of his shell and start to enjoy life again. There were a lot of happy and joyous moments, but it was mixed with some adult topics too. I thought it was a good movie, but not the best Tom Hanks movie. If you have seen it, what did you think of it?

That’s a roundup of life this week. It’s always so busy coming back to reality after time away, but I’m ready to hit the ground running and get back into a good routine. As we say hello to July, how are you spending the weekend? Let me know in the comments below! Enjoy the last day of June!