Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve done a “Currently” post, today I’m sharing a few things that I’m currently loving.
Flower:
Peonies are the flower of the summer. I probably spend too much on these, but when Trader Joe’s has them…usually only in June, it’s hard for me to resist!
Food / Drink:
I’ve seen a few people share this salad, and I recently tried it…and couldn’t love it more.
I usually eat half the salad one day and the other half the next day. Often times, I will add some chicken to it to get in some extra protein. It’s so good.
The Truly Margarita pack has been my favorite drinks of the summer.
Strawberry and Classic Lime are my favorite. The Mango Chili really does have a bit of a kick to it.
Products and Polish:
I’m still loving the Dime Beauty products. The best thing about summer is wearing limited makeup, and often times I just have these products on my face day and night.
For my latest pedicure, I chose a new (to me) color: Mexico City Move-mint. Hadley gave me her approval, so it must be “on trend!”
Clothing Item:
This cover up is one of my favorite latest Amazon purchases. It comes in many colors and patterns as well and short sleeve and sleeveless options. I love the style of it, and it’s perfect for the pool or beach.
Hello! I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. We sure did.
I’m linking up with Tanya for this month’s Prime Purchases. I love this link up because it’s so fun to see what others have purchased.
This month I bought:
The best purchase I made during my closet purge were these acrylic shelf dividers. These bad boys will help my clothes stay organized, and I’m able to see what I have on my shelves a lot easier now! I purchased two six packs and used them all!
During my re-organization, I decided to use all the same hangers. I have now purchased this pack of hangers four times throughout the year. Of course, it would be nice to splurge on the velvet hangers for my closet, but these gray ones at least streamline the look of my closet now. (The kids use them in their closets too!)
I purchased another set of these packing cubes for our July travels. I now have them in blue, gray, and teal.
Travis asked for these wireless earbuds for Father’s Day. He likes the kind that go behind your ears, so he knows they will stay on when he jogs. So far, he loves them.
I purchased these cosmetic bags to divvy up in the family for travel. Hadley can use one for her face products, we will use one for sunscreen, another for phone/watch/Kindle chargers, and more! They are TSA approved too!
This tank is light weight and perfect for summer. It comes in a variety of colors!
When I saw this dress, I had high hopes it would be great for vacay. When it arrived, I was so pleased with the quality, comfort, hemline, and more!
I don’t purchase books very often, but I really wanted to read Emily Giffin’s new book, and didn’t want to wait for library availability. I’ve started it and am enjoying it!
Nothing says summer and Amazon like tank tops, dresses, travel necessities, and a book! What have you Primed lately?
{this post contains Amazon affiliate links…thank you for supporting my blog}
Hello and Happy Monday! I’m guessing most aren’t posting today, but since the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, I threw together this post of favorites.
This is our “go to” 4th of July breakfast:
Frozen waffles, Cool Whip, and fresh fruit. I’ve been serving it to the kids since they were little.
Easy and delish!
This meme is definitely me with the kids when they were younger. I’m that mom.
I love pinchy cheek cute kids in red, white, and blue.
My favorite 4th of July family photo…taken in 2015.
Sparklers are always a “must” on this holiday.
….as are fireworks!
We have a favorite spot in Lex to see some of the best fireworks in town.
Homer is usually pretty festive on the 4th as well:
I mean, of course he’s a patriotic pup!
What do you do for the 4th of July? Growing up, we always got together with family. Then, when I was older, I have wonderful memories of watching fireworks by the lake in our neighborhood. Kind of like driving through the Christmas lights at the park, I won’t miss a fireworks display!
Happy July 1st. It kind of pains me to type “July 1st,” but I also know that we have lots of fun planned this month, so I’m trying to embrace that!
It’s Friday, so I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Honestly, just having a slower paced week was a favorite. I had tons of errands, but the kids didn’t have many activities. We needed this slower week after so many favorites from the weekend:
Trav time:
lake time:
and concert/friend time:
Another favorite from the week was watching a movie with Hayden. He chose Goonies, and it was good quality time together watching that classic.
Dance and baseball photos arrived this week. I told myself I wouldn’t buy any more, but yet here I am…I swear, take all my money!
With the holiday weekend coming up, here’s a favorite breakfast that I often serve on the 4th:
Favorite Kid Quote:
I was painting my nails, and Hadley said, “Mom, on my wedding day, I’m going to wear Funny Bunny.” (OPI color that I always wear) It was just the sweetest.
Favorite Mom Meme:
My kids do tend to sleep in if they can, so thankfully I don’t have to get up too early in the summer. That being said, Hadley is up most mornings by 8:00 for swim team, so I try to get up 7:15-7:30 to ease into the day a bit.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
These cousins don’t get to see each other often, but when they do, they have lots of fun. Here they are jumping into summer vacay in 2017. So cute.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one:
With not as much going on this week, I’m keeping today’s post short(ish) and sweet. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend. Thanks so much for reading!
Hello! How is your week going? Ours has been pretty lowkey, and I’m not mad about it!
I’m linking up with Patty and Holly for this month’s Monthly Musings.
This month’s topic:
With a couple of trips planned this summer, this is the perfect topic!
1. Favorite summer destinations:
I’ve shared before, but we love Siesta Key, Florida and go there most years for vacation. We also love the Charleston, SC area, and have stayed in Isle of Palms and Folly Beach a few times through the years.
2. Warm or Cold Temps?
In the summer, I definitely prefer warm temps especially if it means my view is the ocean.
3. Are you traveling this summer? Flying or Driving?
We have both flying and driving on the agenda. We’ll be flying to Mexico soon, and then we will drive to KC to see family in July too.
4. Ocean? Lake? Mountains?
Seeing the ocean typically only happens for us once a year, so that’s always a preference.
That being said, I love a lake. It’s nice when we can float in the lake on a summer afternoon.
I do love the mountains too, but that’s usually on my radar more in the spring or fall.
5. Best travel tips to share?
Find you a Travis White who will do all the research? haha Really though, I’m not travel tip expert, but here are a few tips:
I make a list(s) for everyone.
I use packing cubes to stay organized.
We attempt to book dinner reservations ahead of time.
We ask others who have been to the location for tips and recommendations when we can.
6. Vacation budget tips?
I’m definitely not an expert on budgeting tips either, but….
We have a list of places we’d like to go, and try to budget accordingly. If we know we are going on a bigger vacation in the summer, we may go somewhere more local for only a couple of days for Spring Break.
We typically only eat out for dinner. That being said, if we have a big lunch out, we will eat dinner in. Usually, one morning we will have breakfast or brunch out, then have a lighter lunch of sandwiches and dinner at home. Of course, many of our vacations have been to Trav’s aunt’s house in Siesta Key where it feels likes home with a fully stocked kitchen and patio with grill. That’s definitely a huge help!
7. Overpacker? Underpacker?
Uh…my worst nightmare is having underpacked! 😂
I just purchased another set of packing cubes. We now have them in blue, teal, and gray. The kids and I use them the most.
Also, random, but do you follow @Bruncwithbabs on Instagram? I just saw her packing tip of using a hanging sweater (or shoe?) organizer. You hang it in your closet, and put each day’s clothes in a cube, then you can just fold it into your suitcase. When you arrive, you can just pull it out of the suitcase and hang it in the closet. I wonder if this would help me not overpack!
8. Vacation planned in advance? Last minute adventures?
Well, like I said, we usually have an idea of where we’d like to go in the summer, so those are usually planned out in advance. Fall and Spring Breaks are usually planned at the last minute since we don’t go too far away. Since we have family out of town, I usually rotate when we go there (Thanksgiving or Christmas and then usually in the summer).
9. Group vacations or immediate family?
Most the time, our vacations are with immediate family. As much as we’d like to go with extended family, sometimes it’s just too complicated with everyone’s schedules especially as my kids have gotten older.
That being said, we have a group trip planned for Fall Break with friends, and we are looking forward to it.
10. If you have them, do you travel with pets?
Before we had kids, we used to always take our Boxers, Shiloh and Scout, with us when we’d go to KC for holidays. We never took them on vacation though and use a dog sitter. We do the same with Homer and have someone stay with him when we are gone…usually for holidays too.
This post has me excited for our July adventures! Where are you headed this summer?
Hello! Well, I feel like I blinked, and it’s already Wednesday. Same with the month of June…How did it go by so quickly?
Today, I’m sharing the books I read this month.
While I did have more time to read, I also made a dent in my summer tv show list thanks to being quarantined in my room, and I have also spent some time actually crossing things off my “to do” list.
I think I will have even more time to read in July which makes me excited!
This month I read…
{As always, book summaries are from Goodreads…}
Summer Love:
Summary:
When four strangers rent bargain-basement rooms in an old hotel near the beach, they embark on the summer of their lives. First there’s Ariel Spencer, who has big dreams of becoming a writer and is looking for inspiration in Nantucket’s high society. Her new friend Sheila Murphy is a good Catholic girl from Ohio whose desire for adventure is often shadowed by her apprehension. Then there’s small-town Missourian Wyatt Smith, who’s immediately taken with Ariel. The last of the four, Nick Volkov, is looking to make a name for himself and have a blast along the way. Despite their differences, the four bond over trips to the beach, Wednesday-night dinners, and everything that Nantucket has to offer. But venturing out on their own for the first time, with all its adventure and risks, could change the course of their lives.
Twenty-six years after that amazing summer, Ariel, Sheila, Wyatt, and Nick reunite at the hotel where they first met. Now it’s called The Lighthouse and Nick owns the entire operation with his wife and daughter. Ariel and Wyatt, married for decades, arrive with their son, and Sheila’s back too, with her daughter by her side. Life hasn’t exactly worked out the way they had all hoped. Ariel’s dreams have since faded and been pushed aside, but she’s determined to rediscover the passion she once had. Nick has the money and reputation of a successful businessman, but is it everything he had hoped for? And Sheila has never been able to shake the secret she’s kept since that summer. Being back together again will mean confronting the past and finding themselves. Meanwhile, the next generation discovers Nantucket: Their children explore the island together, experiencing love and heartbreak and forging lifelong bonds, just as their parents did all those years ago. It’s sure to be one unforgettable reunion.
This delightful novel from beloved storyteller Nancy Thayer explores the potential of dreams and the beauty of friendship.
Quick Thoughts:
I could not have loved this book more. It is the quintessential summer book. I really enjoyed the characters and their history with one another. The chapters alternated between “this summer” and “that summer,” which I really enjoyed. This book was actually on the shorter side, and it left me wanting a bit more.
Rating:
The Summer Job:
Summary:
What if you could be someone else? Just for the summer…
Birdy has made a mistake. Everyone imagines running away from their life at some point. But Birdy has actually done it. And the life she’s run into is her best friend Heather’s. The only problem is, she hasn’t told Heather.
The summer job at the highland Scottish hotel that her world class wine-expert friend ditched turns out to be a lot more than Birdy bargained for. Can she survive a summer pretending to be her best friend? And can Birdy stop herself from falling for the first man she’s ever actually liked, but who thinks she’s someone else?
One good friend’s very bad decision is at the heart of this laugh-out-loud love story and unexpected tale of a woman finally finding herself in the strangest of places.
Quick Thoughts:
This was a cute read. My mom actually read it too…and even listened to some of the chapters while driving to visit us. She said she liked the audio because of the characters’ accents. I loved the premise of the book that Birdy acted as Heather for the job. There were actually a couple of twists with the characters that I wasn’t necessarily expecting. This is a great, fun, and quick summer read.
Rating:
Harry: Life, Loss, and Love:
Summary:
From his earliest public appearances as a mischievous redheaded toddler, Prince Harry has captured the hearts of royal enthusiasts around the world. In Harry, Britain’s leading expert on the young royals offers an in-depth look at the wayward prince turned national treasure. Nicholl sheds new light on growing up royal, Harry’s relationship with his mother, his troubled youth and early adulthood, and how his military service in Afghanistan inspired him to create his legacy, the Invictus Games.
Harry: Life, Loss, and Lovefeatures interviews with friends, those who have worked with the prince, and former Palace aides. Nicholl explores Harry’s relationship with his family, in particular, the Queen, his father, stepmother, and brother, and reveals his secret “second family” in Botswana. She uncovers new information about his former girlfriends and chronicles his romance and engagement to American actress Meghan Markle.
Harryis a compelling portrait of one of the most popular members of the royal family, and reveals the inside story of the most intriguing royal romance in a decade.
Quick Thoughts:
When I went to pick up a book at the library, I took a few minutes to wander the aisles. I love the Royal family, so when I saw this book about Harry on the display, I decided to read it. The book had a quick pace. Nicholl gave lots of info, but it wasn’t a complete deep dive into all the things. I actually realized how much I kind of already knew about Harry, but this filled in some of the blanks. Of course, this was written before Harry and Meghan moved to the US, so I’d love an update on the family dynamics now!
This same author (who I do recognized from tv interviews) has a book about Kate that I’ve picked up as well.
Rating:
Also, this month:
When I looked at my June list and saw that I “only” read three books, I kept thinking that couldn’t be correct. Well, then I remembered that I started a book (now I can’t even remember the name), and quit after about 100 pages.
I’m also halfway through this book, and I’m loving it. I will share more about it in July.
Summer Reading Update:
Read: Summer Love, The Summer Job, The Summer Getaway
Kindle: I have One Italian Summer downloaded on my Kindle, and I hope to get to it soon.
On the wait list:Under the Southern Sky, The Hotel Nantucket, The Boardwalk Bookshop, Out of the Clear Blue Sky
I’m also excited to read Emily Giffin’s new book Meant to Be. It seems to be one of the books many people are reading this summer. While I don’t often purchase books, I went ahead and ordered it from Amazon.
Hey! Hey! Well, we had such a busy weekend that I couldn’t get this post finished in time, and I had to share my memes yesterday anyway!
Here’s a recap of our very busy, but great summer weekend!
Friday, was our 17th wedding anniversary, and I received the sweetest card and flowers. Travis has the tradition of writing my name in bubble letters. Not sure why, but he’s just done that during all our years together.
Friday evening, we had dinner reservations at Coles 735. We had the yellowtail sashimi for an appetizer, and then I had the salmon for dinner.
After dinner, we headed to Native Café for a drink outside. The weather was gorgeous.
My dinner outfit included a favorite leopard blouse that I was reunited with during my closet clean out! (haha) I wore old jeans from Target, but did wear my new favorite summer sandals. I also used my new(ish) crossbody purse.
We were up early on Saturday to head to Lake Cumberland with friends. Hadley actually went to the lake on Friday afternoon, and we met them down there.
These girls are like sisters to Hayden, so he eventually got over being the only boy! We were out on the boat for a bit, and then went to a cove for the kids to jump off the cliffs, and we all swam a bit.
Then, the kids took turns tubing before we headed in for dinner.
We were about thirty minutes out from the marina when in poured down rain on us. We were all sopping wet by the time we got back to the dock. We were going to have dinner at a restaurant on the lake, but headed back to our friend’s house and had pizza.
Despite the rain, everyone had a great time.
We got home from the lake around 11:00, and had a pretty lazy day at home. By lazy, I mean unpacking all the things, doing laundry, picking up, and getting ready for the week.
Then, it was time for me to get ready for dinner and a concert with friends.
We had an early reservation at Frank and Dino’s. I hadn’t been there yet, and I will be back. The food was so good.
We split a bottle of wine and three different entrees: lobster ravioli, fagottini Sinatra, and gnocchi al pesto. They were all delish.
Then it was time for the New Kids on the Block concert. It was the Mixtape Tour that also featured En Vogue, Salt N Pepa, and Rick Astley.
Just some 80’s kids ready to hang tough!
It was a “Block Party,” so the performers took turns singing throughout the evening.
NKOTB opened up with a few songs, both old and new.
Then, Rick Astley, En Vogue and Salt N Pepa all performed with NKOTB coming out for songs in between each act as well.
En Vogue and Salt N Pepa performed a couple of songs together too.
For the finale, everyone sang before one more NKOTB performance. I loved the format of the show, and we all had a great time singing along.
A few show notes:
It was funny to me that I sported my Lululemon belt bag that most definitely would have been called a fanny pack in 1989.
Those Salt N Pepa ladies still have the moves!
One of the poor En Vogue ladies had to sit for most of their performances because she had on a boot!
Donny loved showing us his abs…
Once the concert started, the line was longer for the bathroom than the drink line #tellmeyouare40withouttellingmeyouare40
As Jordan was singing “I’ll Be Loving You,” a couple behind us got engaged!
I do think I’m still a Joey girl, but Jordan is a close 2nd!
The concert was worth the $53 ticket price, but I was happy that I didn’t pay more 😉
It was one of the best summer weekends I’ve had in quite some time! I’m still recovering from all the fun.
I shared this meme yesterday, and after three days/nights of fun, I need a slower week!
I hope your week is off to a great start! Thanks so much for reading.
Hello? How was your weekend? We had the best summer weekend. Travis and I went to dinner for our anniversary on Friday.
Saturday, we spent the day at the lake, and then yesterday I wrapped up the weekend at the New Kids on the Block concert with some of my friends! I will share more about all of those activities soon.
Since it’s the last Monday of the month (*sigh*), I’m sharing the best memes I saw this month!
1.
This one literally made me LOL.
2.
Y’all, this weekend about took me out! So much fun, but I can’t persevere like I used to!
3.
The English teacher in me laughed at this one.
4.
Nothing better than having less dishes to clean while cooking and baking.
5.
This one goes with #4!
6.
Relatable….especially before my first cup of coffee…
7.
This summer, I’ve become less and less presentable as I drop off and pick up my kids from their morning activities.
8.
Why am I such a worry wart?
9.
Thankfully, our temps have cooled a bit, but we are to the point where we could use some rain.
Hello! How was your week? Ours was a mix of down time, productivity, and summer fun.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Homer got his summer cut, and looks so cute. We heart Homer, but I sure didn’t read the fine print on his description at the rescue. He sheds so much, so while it doesn’t look like a super short haircut, hopefully this will buy us a week or two of major shedding.
He’s worn his little cowboy bandana all week!
I was at Trader Joe’s just minding my own business and these candles hopped in my cart. I’ve been burning them all week, and they are perfect for summer. Strawberry Basil is my favorite.
Hadley had another swim meet, but it was a short one due to rain. The meet started out hot and sunny, but thunderstorms rolled through, and it ended after the freestyle.
The weekly themes they have are so fun, and the kids (and coaches!) really get into it. The coaches handed out these fun cowboy hats, and the kids loved them.
After the meet was called off, we decided to keep dinner simple and picked up Fazolis. We watched Big Daddy as our June movie. I hadn’t seen it in forever, and it is so funny.
I got some pool time in yesterday, and I finished a book! I love to read about the Royals, and this book was interesting. The same author wrote one about Kate, so I hope to read it soon too!
Honestly, the absolute highlight and favorite of this week is that I FINALLY purged and cleaned out my dressers and closet. I may dig deeper into that process, but for now, here is the before:
…and the after!!
I’d be embarrassed by the “before” photo if I wasn’t so proud of the “after” photos!
I did a little bit over four days. I started with my dresser and chest of drawers. Then, I went through the folded clothes in my closet followed by the hanging clothes, jeans, and purses. Lastly, I went through my dresses that are in the hall closet. Five big black trash bags later…I have lots to donate.
It makes me so happy to open my closet door now. I’m going to try and be more intentional about going through my drawers and closet at the end of each season and donate what I haven’t worn.
I’ve needed to do this for over a year, and am so happy that I finally got it finished!
Favorite Foods:
I made this Mexican Casserole for dinner on Monday, and it was so good. We had leftovers on Tuesday, and then I had a bit more for lunch on Wednesday.
Favorite Mom Meme:
My kids need to get jobs! haha
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
I’m throwing it back to 2005 with this guy.
Seventeen years of marriage today. I say it every year, but I hit the jackpot with T-rav!
Where has the time gone? I definitely feel blessed.
Also, I wanted to say thanks to those who sent well wishes after I shared about being sick last week! I’m feeling much better, and I’m thankful the rest of my family is doing well.
What are your weekend plans?
We have a dinner reservation and some lake time on the agenda!
Hello! How is your week going? I swear the summer weeks go by so quickly.
I laid low most of this week, but that forced me to tackle my closet. I’ve been needing to purge my closet for over a year. If you’ve seen any of my Insta stories, you may have seen that I’ve made some major headway.
Well, I had to make room for some of the favorites I’m showing you today. I typically buy some new summer clothes in June and then promise Travis I will slow my roll in July. I just like to have a few summer staples to get me through the hot months as well as vacation.
Here are some of my recent Target finds:
I’ve already shared these pjs (top // bottom) with you as a Friday favorite, but here they are again! I love the shade of pink, and the material is so soft. I actually sized down in these, and they come in a few color options.
I needed a few new tanks, and I love the cut of this ribbed tank. I picked it up in navy as well as light green and blue. (There 13 color options!)
Before vacation, I wanted to pick up one more cover up, and saw this terry tank dress. It was with the swim suits, so I assume it can be a cover up or a dress. The terry style reminded me of my childhood swim cover ups!
I was in need of a new sports bra, and this one is cute, comfortable, and supportive. I have it in mauve and teal.
Of everything I’ve purchased recently, this dress was my only “impulse” buy. I thought it looked like a dress that could be dressed up or down…or even used as a cover up. It’s light, flowy, and perfect for summer. I sized way down to a small.
A tank dress is always my “momiform” for the summer. Also, I will wear tank dresses (long and short) to school with a cardigan. I love that you can wear sandals, flats or tennis shoes with them. This one comes in a variety of colors, but I love the blue!
Ok…time for the real dress of the summer! Amy has shared this dress a few times on her blog which prompted me to pick up the mauve color. I ordered it in a large and a medium.
This is the medium, so I returned the large.
I loved this dress so much that I was curious about a size small to compare, so I ordered it in green.
This is the small:
….and then I decided to keep both! Like most decisions I make with dresses, I love to buy something that can be dressed up or down, and that I can wear to school. I would throw this on over a swimsuit too if needed.
It looks like there’s limited stock and colors, but the white seems to stay in stock, and as I type this, the mauve has some sizes left.
None of my shoes are from Target, but here are the links in case you are interested!
flip flops -( I have had these for years…and have two pairs: rose gold and steel gray)
thin strap sandals – (I’ve shared these before –that they are so comfy, but sometime make a weird airy sound when I walk)
faux Birks – (Hadley has these in white, and has worn them faithfully for two years. I bought the rose gold pair last summer and wear them ten times more than my real Birks. I sized up to 10 instead of my regular 9)
braided heel sandal– These will be my sandal of the summer. These are stylish and comfy.
Target and Amazon continue to be the real MVPs in my life! What are your summer “go to” items?
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