Tag: November

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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!Ā 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 canā€™t believe we are already at the second week of October. Itā€™s time for another Letā€™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. 

Hereā€™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 whatā€™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 ā€œBerā€ monthsā€¦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, Iā€™m sharing how I prep for all the fun and I hope you will share some of your holiday prep hacks too! I donā€™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 donā€™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. Thereā€™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, itā€™s a tradition we have been doing for years and itā€™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 Iā€™m not stressed getting it done.

After all the prep is done, itā€™s time to enjoy the holidays and relax. Thereā€™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!

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Fabulous living

Fall Bucket List 2024

Hello everyone and happy Wednesday! The first day of fall is Sunday! As much as I hate to say goodbye to the summer season, I do love fresh starts. Every year and every season, I like to share a bucket list of activities of things I want to do to celebrate the time period and this year is no different. 

Today, Iā€™m sharing my 2024 Fall Bucket List. These activities are a mix of traditional and new things I want to accomplish this year. Most of them are fairly inexpensive or free and can be done by yourself, with a significant other, with friends or family. 

These bucket lists always give me inspiration for things to do when I am bored or have some spare time and want to take advantage of the season. I have some classic fall fun with a mix of new things I want to try over the next few months. I canā€™t wait to start crossing things off my bucket list.

Without further ado, here it is!

FALL BUCKET LIST

  • Apple Picking
  • Sā€™mores and Bonfire
  • Fall Walks and Runs
  • Collect Leaves
  • New Apple Recipe and Make Apple Crisp
  • Fall Festival
  • Decorate for Fall
  • Fall Trail Mix
  • Pumpkin Patch and Decorate Pumpkins
  • Halloween movies
  • Candy Corn Recipe
  • Enjoy Hot Apple Cider
  • Try a Pumpkin Recipe
  • Try New Soups
  • Make Chili and homemade cornbread
  • Read Fall Books and Movies (Charlie Brown, Youā€™ve Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle)
  • Start Gilmore Girls
  • Celebrate Halloween
  • Celebrate Thanksgiving
  • Warm Drink and Bookstore Date
  • Watch a Sporting Event- Football or Hockey
  • Enjoy Apple Cider Donuts

There you have it, a look at what I want to accomplish this next season. A lot of these goals can be done at home and all cozied up, which was my plan. However, I do plan to spend as much time as I can outdoors too! 

As we get ready to say hello to fall in a few days, what are some things you want to accomplish over the next few months? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Fall!

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Fitness

Incorporating Movement Every Day

Hello all and (I can’t believe I’m saying this…) Happy November!

This year has flown by, I feel like I was just making my New Year’s Resolutions and now I am starting to my list of people to buy for Christmas.Ā  I hope you had a fun and festive Halloween yesterday and if you are like me, chances are, you may be recovering from a bit of a sugar high with all the sweet treats and candy. Even though I am an adult, it was still fun to celebrate!

A look at some of the candy from yesterday!

Here’s how I enjoyed the holiday leading up to the day and the actual day.

I carved a pumpkin!
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Watched The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
And enjoyed Halloween treats!

The colder weather has set in and it’s not going away anytime soon. Because our warm weather is so limited here, I try to spend as much time as I can outdoors in the warmer months. But even on the chillier days, I try to bundle up on chillier days to get in some fresh air and movement outdoors even in the wind, cold and snow. 

Trying to make the most even on the cold days!

I have made fitness a priority over the past several years. Although it has evolved and changed in different seasons of life, I always try to incorporate movement every day.

If you are an Apple watch user, like me, I always try to close my rings and my streak has been going on for over two years! Some days I go above and beyond by closing my rings and other days, I just hit my 30 minutes of exercise and just barely close them.

A typical day of stats for me!

Ever since college, I have made an effort to work out and get movement in daily and that’s done in a variety of ways. I definitely get more movement and exercise in warmer months since I can be outdoors more. There are some days in the summer that I will hit the gym, go for a run and even take an evening walk or hike. I love those days when I can get in lots of movement. There are also days in the fall and winter when I just get in a walk or just do yoga and stretching for 30 minutes and that’s okay too. The bottom line is that I’m still moving my body and getting some form of exercise in.

My fitness journey began in college, I would head to the gym five days a week. This typically looked like three weekdays and then the weekend. I would do some cardio and weights throughout the week to get my heart rate going and to stay in shape. You can read about my college fitness journey here.

Some of my early days in the gym

After graduation, I moved home and started working full time and I knew I still wanted to make fitness a priority.  I found a gym and continued to go to workout Monday through Friday every morning at 6:45 a.m. which is what I do to this day. My workouts typically last between 45 minutes and an hour. These workouts are a mix of stretching, cardio, free weights and strength and conditioning. I love how I feel when I leave the gym and have the whole day ahead of me.

A look at a daily workout

This past year I made it a New Year’s Resolution to take up running and run a 5K. You can read about my training here. Starting in the spring, I would run two days a week after a workout. I started small by running a mile and then worked my way to where I am today which is four and a half miles. I have been loving this new hobby and new form of exercise. 

A very good run!

Through the spring and summer on my days off, I typically get in two workouts (I head to the gym and then go for a run). I feel accomplished and productive and there’s no better release of endorphins than to get in two workouts before 9:00 a.m.

Some days my workouts look like this.

Not all days, whether they be days off or working days, look like this. On busier days when I know I won’t be able to get in a workout or run in, I try to at least get in a short walk outside or do some yoga and stretching at night when I am watching a show when I’m winding  down to get some movement in.

In the late fall and winter when I know an outdoor run isn’t always possible, I spend more time indoors doing yoga and stretching. 

Some days I just get in a walk.

For me personally, it’s not always about burning hundreds of calories or how much I sweat, it’s about getting in some form of movement and exercise daily and that’s what is important. 

As the weather gets colder and you spend more time indoors, I hope this encourages you to still get some movement every day for a healthy lifestyle, whether it’s a full workout, a short walk or even yoga. 

Tell me: what are some of your favorite ways to get your movement in every day? 

Let me know in the comments below!

Have a great start to November!

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Bucket List

Hello All! 

Happy first full week of September. I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend and soaked up the last big weekend of summer. I still plan on keeping the shorts on and enjoying the sunshine for as long as I can this month.

September is always a month of transition, from getting back into a new routine being back to school, to the changing weather, this month can be a busy one. Over the next few weeks, I have some day trips planned, lots of appointments that I scheduled for when things calmed down from the busy summer and then some friend dates. I’m looking forward to crossing things off my to-do list and starting my fall bucket list!

Speaking of bucket lists, here’s a look at my summer bucket list all completed:Ā 

I got so much accomplished this summer, both on my list and doing things that came up through the summer, needless to say it was a fun and packed full summer. From trips to New York City, Toronto and San Diego, to lots of walks and picnics, grilling and pool days, it was a memorable summer!

Summer is a photo!

Now that we are slowly saying goodbye to summer, it’s time to start thinking about FALL!

I started a fall bucket list at the beginning of the month and will add to it over the next few weeks, but here’s what I hope to accomplish over the next few months.Ā 

My Fall Bucket List

Apple Picking

Fall Walks

Collect Leaves

Make Apple Recipe

Try A New Recipe Once a Week

Bonfire

Football Game

Pumpkin Patch and Carve Pumpkins

Celebrate Halloween

Make Chili

Use Kitchen Aid

Read Fall Books

Go to a Fall Fest

Celebrate Thanksgiving

Enjoy Apple Cider

Hockey Game

Soup Recipe

Kinzua Hike

Elk Watching 

That’s just a start into what I hope to accomplish over the next few months. I love to make to-do lists and bucket lists because they give me ideas of things to do for fun and it encourages me to take advantage of my hometown and the season. I hope this gives you some ideas of fun things to do in the fall season.

Tell me, do you have a fall bucket list? What do you hope to accomplish?

Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Fall Y’all!

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Currently

Currently #35

Hello everyone! Itā€™s the last day of November. I donā€™t know about you, but Iā€™m already in the Christmas spirit. Iā€™ve already started to decorate and I have my holiday bucket list ready to go, Iā€™ll be sharing that next week.

Iā€™ve really enjoyed November. Itā€™s been a mix of a flurry of activities and slow days at home. With that being said, Iā€™m looking forward to the next month of holiday fun! Let me give you a recap in this month’s currently. 

What I’ve Been Up To: The month started with lots of time outdoors, from walks, to collecting leaves and time indoors with lots of baking. I enjoyed baking brie, peanut butter cookies, banana bread and soup. I canā€™t wait to start baking Christmas cookies. The month ended with celebrating Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas.

Hello fall walks!
This month was filled with lots of baking.
Thanksgiving with my Family.

What I’m Wearing: Nothing too exciting on the clothing front, itā€™s been colder and we have seen snow, so I have been wearing more long sleeves and layers. I scored a great deal on some jeans at Old Navy. I have been hunting for a pair of straight jeans and found them at Old Navy. If you are looking for a variety of styles and cuts, consider looking at Old Navy.

Layers have been my go-to. Also a look at my new jeans from Old Navy.

What I’m Reading: Iā€™ve been on a roll with good books. Iā€™ve read some mysteries, some thrillers and a handful of love stories. Here are a few of my favorites.

The Last Mrs. Parrish– The Last Mrs. Parrish is a suspenseful book with a touch of mystery and intrigue. It follows the story of a young woman who wants to befriend a wealthy woman to get close to her husband. The first half of the book is told from one point of view until it switches to another character’s perspective, and you see the story through an entirely different lens. This book will make you angry at some of the characters, but you won’t want to put it down at the same time. 

The Younger Wife– The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth follows the story of a heart surgeon who decides to remarry even though his wife is still alive and has dementia. His grown daughters aren’t on board at first, but come around to the idea, that is, until they uncover some secrets about their parents. From the father and mother, to the young bride to be, and the grown daughters, it turns out, everyone is keeping secrets. 

One True Loves– This is another Taylor Jenkins Reid book. It follows the story of a young woman who loves her husband when his flight goes missing, it takes her a while, but she moves on and meets someone else, she’s happy and engaged until her husband is found and returns home. It’s up to her to figure out who her one true love is. This story is about love, loss, growth and finding yourself. I breezed through this book in four days. In fact, I finished the last hundred pages in one sitting. A cute, love story with a twist.

My goal is to just read Christmas books for the next month, Iā€™ll let you know how it goes.

What I’m Watching: I finished watching season 5 of the Crown and LOVED It. I already canā€™t wait for the final season, but I don’t want it to end. I also have been watching Gilmore Girls in my free time, but I know Iā€™ll be watching lots of Christmas movies soon. 

What I’m Loving: Iā€™ve been loving everything that gets me in the Christmas spirit. Stores are already decked out with holiday displays, Christmas music is playing, snow is falling, these are just a few things that have me excited for next month. 

Fresh snow doesn’t hurt either.
Getting into the holiday spirit.

What Inspires Me: Iā€™ve really been enjoying the quiet time before the busy season. Iā€™ve read a lot of good books, Iā€™ve enjoyed time with friends and lots of cooking and baking.  Leaning into some of my hobbies has centered me when things get busy or hectic.

The beautiful sunset as I was running errands last week.
I’ve also been enjoying lots of baking…here’s some pre Pumpkin pie mixture.

What I Accomplished: Despite the cold weather, I still managed to get in some outdoors walks when I could. I know I will have to rely on my indoor activities like yoga or more time at the gym, since I wonā€™t be able to get out as much in colder temperatures.

My sweet pup after a morning walk.

Goals from Last Month: I really enjoyed slowing down and celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and some traditions. I also made my list of who I need to buy for Christmas, which makes me feel ahead of the game.

Enjoying some snacks with family.

Goals for this Month: I canā€™t wait to enjoy all things holiday and Christmas. My brothers will be home from college and I canā€™t wait to spend some family time with everyone. I also want to get a lot of my buying done early, so Iā€™m not rushing around at the end when Christmas is here.

Hello holiday cheer!

Thatā€™s a look into life recently.  A mixture of work, hobbies, family time, traditions, and holiday cheer! I canā€™t wait to see what December brings.

Categories
Fabulous living

What I’m Thankful For

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday! If you are able to enjoy some time off around the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope the next few days are filled with delicious food, time with family or loved ones, making core memories and a time to rejuvenate.

After Thanksgiving, I know Christmas will be on the minds of many, if it isnā€™t already. Before Thanksgiving, I always like to take some extra time to reflect on my blessings and what Iā€™m thankful for.

I have so many things to be grateful for this year. I am so lucky to have a loving and supportive family with me. I love that I am able to work in my hometown and Iā€™m able to see my family every day. Thereā€™s no greater joy than coming home and enjoying a home cooked meal and talking about our dayā€™s. This year we have traveled to new places and visited old ones. One of the best things about this year was our time together from family dinners, to day trips and just conversations and laughs together. Thereā€™s nothing more special than time spent with family. I’m also grateful to my furbabies too!

A snapshot from our time spent at the beach this summer.
My favorite puppies!

Iā€™m grateful for my boyfriend brings out the best in me every day. He who pushes me to work my hardest and supports me in everything I do. From my job to my blog, heā€™s an incredible supporter. We have created so many wonderful memories from walks to adventures, trying new recipes and long drives. Our time together is one of the things I treasure most of all.

One of the many places we have got walking.

Iā€™m so lucky to have wonderful friends in my life. From friends from preschool, to high school friends and one from college. Iā€™m grateful that I have stayed in touch and continued to create memories with. From meeting halfway for dinners, to monthly facetime dates, walks and coffee hangs. As an adult, life can get busy so I try to make a point to put friendships first by checking in on friends when they have busy weeks, or making a suggestion for a favorite book or movie. I always love when I have friends who check in on me and support me and lift me up when I need an extra hand.

I’m grateful for a job that I love. I enjoy learning new things every day and being challenged and growing every day. I love being able to work and live in my hometown and make an impact every day.

A glimpse into some of the places my job takes me.

After illness being a topic of conversation for the past few years, I am so grateful for my good health, my familyā€™s health and my friendā€™s health. Waking up every day and being healthy is something I donā€™t take for granted. Life can get busy and our priorities can shift but reminding ourselves whatā€™s important is something we need to remind ourselves more.

Savoring the little moments in life, like fall drives.

Iā€™m thankful for all the challenging moments in life, for the long or stressful moments because it makes me stronger and makes me a better person. I know I wouldnā€™t be where I am today if it werenā€™t for the growing pains or the rollercoaster moments. All those little things got me to where I am today.

I am grateful for all the things that bring me joy! From curling up with a good book, to baking food for ones that I love, and enjoying heartfelt conversations with family and friends. Iā€™m grateful for how I feel when I finish a hard workout or a long walk. Iā€™m grateful for the satisfaction I feel when I prepare a meal or dessert for my family. Iā€™m grateful for the experience of getting lost in a book or a movie. Iā€™m grateful for resting after a productive day. Iā€™m thankful for seeing the sunrise every morning and watching it set. 

Finding hobbies like cooking and baking bring me so much joy!

Life is so precious and itā€™s made up so many little moments. At the end of the day, thatā€™s what Iā€™m most grateful for, all the moments, big and small. 

Feeling extra grateful this year!

Over the next few days, I hope you take the time to reflect on what you are most grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Categories
Fabulous living

Making Your Space Cozy

Hello all! 

As we make our way through November, December will slowly creep up on us and the cold will be here to stay.Ā I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of the cold, which is why I try hard to make my space extra COZY! This past week we have seen temperatures in the 40’s…brrrr.

In honor of the chilly weather, Iā€™m sharing five ways to make your space cozy and comfortable.

  • Candles– Lighting candles can really change a space, based on previous posts, you know I am a fan of candles. In the cold months, thereā€™s nothing better than lighting a candle. In the winter months, I love changing my scents like pine or spearmint or frasier fur, those warm and rich scents can easily elevate a space no matter how big or small.
This is one we have going in our family room. I love lighting at night and having it burn while we watch tv or visit. 
  • Throw Blankets– I LOVE THROW BLANKETS. I have gotten them as gifts and I have gifted them to friends. A blanket, a coffee mug and some chocolate are a perfect gift for someone if you arenā€™t sure what to get especially as the holidays get closer.Ā I like blankets for different seasons and I love having different patterns and textures of blankets. I drape thinner ones over the chairs in the summer for cooler nights and have warm fleece ones in the winter, I even have ones for the holidays. Bringing out warmer blankets and having them over a couch or in a basket makes the space more inviting and cozy and it allows family members or friends to take a throw if they get cold and need some extra warmth.
  • Mood Lighting– In the spring and summer I spend a lot of time outdoors with all the natural light. In the fall and winter when it gets dark so early, instead of turning on bright overhead lights, consider turning on lamps instead. It makes the room more inviting and softer. 
Putting a fire place on adds warmth to a room too.
  • Flannel Sheets-Adding flannel sheets to your bed is just another small way to make your bedroom warm especially on cold nights. I typically put my winter flannel sheets right around Thanksgiving and I leave them on until after the new year. Adding warm sheets is just another small way to feel extra cozy all hours of the day.
  • Warm drinks– Nothing completes a space than a warm drink, whether itā€™s a hot cup of coffee, a warm tea or some hot coco or cider. Fill your favorite mug and enjoy your warm and cozy space. 

Those are just a few ways to make your space no matter how big or small more cozy and warm for winter. 

Now, turn on the lamps, light the candle and maybe even the fireplace too, pull a throw blanket out and pour a warm drink and cozy up.

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #83

LOTD

Hello All!

How has your week been? Full? Stressful? Busy? Same here. I can’t wait to share this outfit for today. This outfit is perfect for traveling to see loved ones. Not only is it comfortable but it is also fashionable. Letā€™s start breaking down this outfit.

Casual and comfortable

I love this shirt. I got it from Marley Lilly last year. I love the tunic feel and the fabric is so comfortable. Plus, I love anything monogrammed so my initials in the corner is the perfect addition. Another great thing about this top is that its big enough that it covers your booty if you are wearing leggings like I am wearing in this picture.

Since I wore such a dark top, I wanted to break up the bottoms. I decided to wear these leopard print leggings with this top. I got these leggings from Old Navy, I had had them for a few years and they are still in great shape. The dark colors complement each other but it is not super overwhelming.

I wore a gray pair of boot socks to bring out the gray in the leggings. I also got these boot socks from Old Navy as well. You can wear these boot socks with leggings, a dress, or skirt.

My favorite fall boots

My boots are my favorite part of my ensemble. I got these boots last year at the end of the season on sale at DSW. I always  try to get new things at the end of season sales. I had the same boots for about four years, so I knew it was time for an upgrade. I love the heel on these boots, you can really dress up an outfit with these boots. I have worn them with leggings, dresses, and jeans. Besides, how good they look, they are also super comfortable. I was on my feet for 10 hours in these boots and my feet were fine by the end of the day. Thatā€™s a major win for my book.

Thatā€™s a peak into my closet this week. I have a fun weekend planned ahead that I canā€™t wait to share with you all next week. I hope you all have a relaxing weekend.