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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #65

Hello all and happy Halloween weekend! I know Halloween falls on next Tuesday but I feel like this weekend will be a weekend full of celebrating. I know I plan on making some fun Halloween treats, popping some popcorn and enjoying a Halloween movie or two!

Fall out of my kitchen window is BEAUTIFUL!

As the week wraps up, I have a fun roundup of Friday Favorites for you as I link up with with Erika and Andrea .

Love in the Air– If you want a break from Halloween or fall movies and are searching for a light rom-com, I have just the pick for you! Love in the Air on Netflix is all about a woman who takes over her mother’s flight company in Australia. However, it’s on the brink of being closed and being bought by a larger company. After a rocky start when the potential new owner comes to visit, sparks begin to fly between the two. You can figure out the ending from here, but my favorite part was seeing all the beautiful sights in Australia, the entire continent looked gorgeous! If you are looking for a movie to escape for 90 minutes, this is it.

Such a cute movie!

Just Eat– Jessie James Decker’s new cook book, Just Eat, dropped last week and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I love browsing through cookbooks and choosing recipes that look good and attempting to make them on my own. There’s so many sweet and savory recipes that I can’t wait to test out these for myself and my family. Just paging through the book has my mouth watering. I have really enjoyed getting more comfortable in the kitchen and trying new recipes. I grew up helping my mom in the kitchen with cooking and baking and as an adult I have enjoyed the process of attempting family-favorite recipes and trying new ones too. 

Latest cook book!

Fall Graphic T-Shirt– I briefly mentioned this shirt in my post on Wednesday, but I loved it so much I had to make it its own favorite! I browsed so many stores for a cute, fall graphic t-shirt and thanks to YOUR recommendations I found exactly what I was looking for on Amazon and I scored a great deal on it on Prime Days! I got this shirt. I love the fabric, how it fits and how it’s just enough fall cheer without going overboard, plus it was very affordable, what more could you ask for in a shirt? I already have a few graphic t-shirts for Christmas, but I may have to check out Amazon again to see if there’s any new styles.

Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk Hand Cream– I always have hand lotion or cream on me, whether it’s at my desk, in my car or in my purse. My hands get dry in the winter and even in the other months of the year, I like to keep my hands moisturized. I have been using Burt’s Bees Almond and Milk hand cream every day and have been really enjoying this lotion. Just be warned, it is a thick and heavy cream which is great if you have really dry skin. Because it is so heavy, you only need a little bit for your hands. I always feel better after applying some lotion at the start and end of the day and this has been a good product to try and use. 

My new favorite and cream!

Kerry Washington “Thicker Than Water” article on Shondaland- I talked about Kerry Washington’s memoir, “Thicker than Water” coming out a few weeks ago and her interview with Robin Roberts. I haven’t had a chance to read “Thicker than Water” yet, but it’s on my to be read list. Recently, Washington did an interview with Shondaland about how Shonda Rhimes encouraged her to write a book in the first place. I’ve really been enjoying seeing Washington on her press tour and all the different guest moderators at her events. This article gives more insight into why Washington decided to write the book in the first place and some of the things she reveals throughout it. After all this prep, I’m looking forward to reading Washington’s book soon.

That’s a look into some of the things I have been loving this week. Some fall stuff, some shows and books and beauty products! As we gear up for Halloween-weekend, how are you celebrating? Scary movies? Costume parties? Lots of candy? I hope you have a fun and festive weekend!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #3

Happy Final Friday of the month! As we wrap up another week and month, I’m sharing five things I’m loving this week as I’m teaming up with Erika and Andrea for Friday Favorites! Here we go!

  • Peach salad-I have been loving fresh peaches this summer. I had this peach salad at a wedding last weekend and loved the sweetness mixed in with the cheese and greens along with the crunch of nuts. Yum! I definitely want to try my own version of the recipe at some point.

  • Rose Water and Vitamin C serum– I got a few beauty products samples recently and have been testing them out over the past few days. I’ve been using this Squalane, Vitamin C and Rose Water serum by Biossance each night. I apply a few drops to my face each night before bed and I have been really enjoying how it feels on my skin and how I wake up feeling extra refreshed. I’m just using a sample, so I’m not sure if I will invest in it full time, but it’s fun to try it out at the end of summer.
  • 5 Ways to Take Better Breaks During the Workday. I have been a fan of Shondra Rhimes for years, from Grey’s Anatomy to Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and more. I’ve also read her book, Years of Yes and LOVED it! Shonda now has a newsletter that I subscribe too where she has different articles about life, tv, health, and business. I saw this article and found it so informative especially when it comes to the importance of taking those work breaks whether you are in an office or work from home. A great thing to keep in mind as we make our way into a new season.
  • Simplified Large Desk PadSimplified is one of my favorite brands and I love all their products, from planners to note books and stickers. When I have a busy day or a long to-do list, their large pads are a go to for me. I have been using this one a lot recently, it’s also great if you need to do a brain dump!

Those are just five things I’m loving this week. Tell me! What’s been a favorite moment of this week for you?

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Fabulous living

My College Career in Four Journals

Hey everyone! Happy Tuesday. I hope you all had a great and restful weekend. With only a few weekends left in college, I am trying to soak up all the time I have left being with my friends, I have been taking advantage of going out to brunch with my buddies, having good conversations with friends, and always being down to do something. 

That brings me to my new series of blog posts. I started this blog when I was in my freshmen year of college and a lot has happened since I started it. The next several weeks, my posts will be dedicated to reflecting on my time in college, my favorite memories, what I learned, a final semester recap, and a thank you to a place that I have truly grown in so many ways. 

Four years of memories, moments, and happiness

Today’s post is something that I have talked about through the years, but I am ready to really talk about it more. Let’s talk about journaling! I can successfully say that I have journaled through my entire college career. Yes, every single day of college, is documented and written about. I can tell you what I was doing on November 29, 2016, or April 16, 2017, or January 25, 2018, and even on August 26, 2019. I can tell you how I was feeling, what I was struggling with, what sparked joy that day because I wrote it all down. Looking back, this was one of the best decisions I made while I was in college. Writing about my feelings, what I was going through, what things caused me stressed and what things made me happy was such a good way to unwind and reflect. It also put things in perspective for me. I never had a full day where I complained, I always found something positive or good about the day, whether it was getting a good grade on an exam or catching up with an old friend. Journaling every day made me realize how good life is, and all the things I have to be grateful for. Every year, I had a different theme for my journaling.

Freshmen year, my mom gifted me this journal when I moved into my first day of college. I journaled about every single thing that happened, what I ate for breakfast, how my classes went, what I did for fun and when I went to bed. I was so detailed with my journaling. It was a great way to unwind at the end of the day and reflect of everything I got done. This method really worked during a year of adjusting to a new place and new people. It was a form of comfort to me. 

Sophomore year-my year of YES

Sophomore year came and it was all about yes saying to everything. I started a new job, met new friends, tried new things and stepped out of my comfort zone. I had read Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes and I made my sophomore year my year of yes. I started every day with my Years of Yes journal. The journal was set up with a topic each month to say yes to things. There was a goals section where you can map out where you want to see yourself by the end of the month. Each day is split up into three sections where you can write about the things you said yes to. Inspirational quotes by Rhimes are spread throughout the book to give you motivation if you need it. I spent 5 minutes a day on this and it was such a positive way to start the day. I loved seeing all the things I tried and said yes to through the year. 

Junior Year JOY

Junior year brought JOY. I decided to journal about all the joy in my life. I found myself getting negative about the small things in life, whether it was a long day or friendship troubles. I decided to find joy in every day. I would write down three good things or three things that brought me joy. After doing this for a full year I got to change my mindset and see all the good things in my life. It also made the small annoying things in life seem nonexistent. I’m so glad I found the good in every day. 

Finding Grace in my Senior Year

For senior year, I wanted to try something new. I have always been very involved and balancing a lot of things in life, which I do very well at. For senior year, I decided to give myself the gift of grace. I was inspired by Emily Ley’s Grace Not Perfection and, journaled every day from prompts in the book, A Standard of Grace as well sharing the highlights of my day. It really made me focus on what was important in life. 

Four years later

Although, my college career is winding down, I will continue to journal, it has been a great stress reliever, and a beautiful way to reflect on my time in college and see the beauty and good in every day. Journaling has brought me so much joy and happiness and I am so glad I have four journals full of thoughts, memories, and happiness from my time in college. 

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Fabulous living

Year of YES

Two years ago, I read a book that made me rethink a lot of things in my life. I have been a fan of Shonda Rhimes for years, I am a huge of the tv shows she has created, so it was no surprise that when she came out with a book, I had to get my hands on a copy of it. I read Year of Yes through the course of one month. I have recommended this book to many, it’s all about saying yes to things in your life. Things that may scare you, intimidate you, or excite you, say yes to them. Rhimes chronicles saying yes to everything in one year and how by the end of the year she changed immensely. She also shared how even after the year was over she continued to say yes to things. It is truly an inspiring book.

The book

After I had finished reading it, I was inspired to start my own ‘year of yes” but I didn’t know how. So, with many things in our lives, I put it off. It wasn’t until last year, Rhimes came out with a “Years of Yes” journal, so everyone who read her book, could chronicle their own year of yes. I got the journal and decided to start my year of yes. You can start your year whenever you want, whether its January 1, or June 30. I started my Year of Yes, when I started my sophomore year of college. I had said my first big yes, YES to a new job. Starting anything new can be scary but a new job, with new people, and new responsibilities made me incredibly anxious.  I said yes and didn’t look back. This school year has flown by. I can’t believe I only have three weeks left?!

The Journal

I certainly have seen a change in myself this year so far, but my year isn’t over yet. I have said yes to new friends, new experiences, new adventures and new opportunities. I have stepped out of my comfort zone and have grown into a much better version of myself. I can successfully say I am happier now then I was last August. Stay tuned to more posts about my Year of Yes as the semester winds down, but for now this is just a tease.

Motivating quotes throughout the book

I start every day with my Years of Yes journal. The journal is set up with a topic each month to say yes to things. There is a goals section where you can map out where you want to see yourself by the end of the month. Each day is split up into three sections where you can write about the things you said yes to. Inspirational quotes by Rhimes are spread throughout the book to give you motivation if you need it. I spend 5 minutes a day on this, so it doesn’t take up much time. Whether you are an avid journaler or have never done it, give it a try.

Each month has a different topic and there is space for you to write down what things you want to say yes to or what things you want to change in that month

Each day is broken into three sections,
-The Yeses I handled today.
-What I gained by saying yes.
-What were the dark and twisty parts of saying yes.
They serve as a guide for your journaling.

It may sound cliché, but this book and journal have changed my life. Give this book a chance and start your own Year of Yes. It will change you in more ways than you thought.

Categories
Fabulous living

Quote of the Day

"Ditch the dream and be a doer, not a dreamer"

-Shonda Rhimes