August Recap!

Happy September, Happy Labor Day and long time no talk, friends! 

As you can probably tell my blog plans for August kind of....never happened. 

August was one super crazy chaotic month. Instead of a super long written explanation of what I've been up to this month, I'd thought to do a much more exciting photo recap instead!

I've already recapped my Disney trip which you can read here! The best way to kick off one of the best months of my life is obviously Disney! 

Right after coming back from the happiest place on Earth, my family and I jumped on cruise! It was my grandmother's 80th birthday and her only birthday wish was for a family cruise. We went on the Carnival Ecstasy to the Bahamas. I hope to do a full recap of this amazing trip soon!  

CM and I made one last summer trip to Miami Beach to end off our amazing summer together. 

Another big project that took up much of August was painting my room! I definitely undermined how big of a project this was and not going to lie, was a little worried I wasn't going to finish in time, but by the grace of the painting gods, I finished! Now it is on to the fun part of picking decor and furnishing! 

I had my Nursing School orientation! 

With the start of school means the official start of recruitment! I will definitely be posting more about this very soon, but I cannot wait until recruitment week and to meet my Rho Gamma babies! 

Last but not least, with the start of September brings the start of a new chapter of my life and I could not be any more excited that it is here. This summer has been exactly what I needed to prepare myself in more ways than one for this challenging journey and I hope to bring this blog with me along the ride! 

I hope you are having a great start to your school year!

Disney Vacation Recap!

Happy Back-to-school Monday!

This has to be one of the most hectic Monday of all Mondays! 

Fortunately, I don't start until next Monday and I could not be more nervous excited!

I know I am getting this recap up a bit later than I would have liked to. This is partly because I've been so incredibly busy finishing up my room renovations, working, and enjoying the too few days left of my summer and partly because I knew that reliving the memories of this trip was going to make me go into major Disney Withdrawals. (Yes, they are very real)

Though going to Disney World never needs a real reason, CM and I made the trip in honor of our anniversary. We have been together since high school and are totally wanting to start traveling together! This was our first official road trip together, if you exclude our few day trips to Miami, so we were so excited! 

Our trip was originally consisting of 2 days at Disney and 2 days with his family at their beach condo about an hour from Disney property. Due to multiple changes we ended up doing one day at Downtown Disney and one day, our actual anniversary day, at Disney, more specifically Epcot.  The last day was spent relaxing on the beach. 

I never get tired of seeing this sight!

The iconic Downtown Disney is always a must-stop for me whenever I visit. I especially wanted to go this trip as I've read of all the new additions and soon-to-be additions to the area. I love the direction it is going in!

 I had 3 missions that day: 

1. Have my first Disney Starbucks Drink

2. Disney Quest

3. Find the Disney Alex and Ani bangle collection

And I am happy to report that I was successful in all 3 missions!

Disney Starbucks is so much more magical than regular Starbucks. 

 A DD store that was new to me was the Spice and Tea Exchange located near the corner of Mickey's Pantry. A fun little stop with a wide variety of spices and teas (well, duh) and salts and sugars and other fun Disney culinary tools.  

You best believe we smelled pretty much all of them! 

I had to contain my excitement when I came across this specific tea though. Hazelnut Cookie Tea?! Yes please! 

We ate lunch at a restaurant I've always wanted to dine at, the T-Rex. CM loves dinosaurs so choosing this restaurant was fairly easy. I loved the atmosphere and experience. We ate in the Ice Cavern that went from blue to red whenever there was a "meteor shower". So cool and so yummy!

Since CM and I were both not feeling too great from the start we pretty much took it easy the rest of the day, which included a trip to Disney Quest which was both of our's first time going there. 

After a good night's sleep we felt much better and ready to take on Epcot! 

Epcot is my second favorite park, behind Magic Kingdom of course, mainly because of the countries. They are my favorite and that is where we spent the entire day. 

It's funny how the pictures you snap the quickest end up being some of your favorites!

We ate "brunch" I guess you can call it in France at Les Halles Bakery. I was really craving a chocolate croissant which we split along with the Jambon Buerre sandwhich and the cappucino glacé. It hit the spot! 

We then spent the rest of the day exploring each country which was so much fun! If you can, I highly recommend you take a day to spend in just the countries. It'll allow you to take your time in each country exploring all that there is to see...and eat and drink xD. 

After a long day we decided to have dinner in China at the Nine Dragons restaurant. Something we said we would do for this anniversary for a long time now. 

I ordered the Honey Sesame chicken with an iced chai tea and it was the best way to end the long day!

And last but not least: souvenirs! 

Since we did not want to do traditional anniversary "gifts" this time around we treated Disney as our gift for each other and bought each other souvenirs along the way. Since neither of us had a pair of Mickey/Minnie ears that was first on the list. (I know I am totally ashamed to admit this) I love these sparkly Minnie ears and I will probably be wearing these a little more than I should! A Disney tradition I have is to buy a trading pin that symbolizes the overall trip. I started this when I was a kid and have now continued this with CM. We bought each other this Epcot World Showcase countries pin that spins! Another little unique purchase we made for each other was for a pair of chopsticks from Japan. This past year we have been all about sushi (shoutout to CM for getting me on this bandwagon!) so to symbolize this we bought real (and really beautiful) chopsticks! We cannot wait to use them! And finally we bought matching little Minnie/ Mickey picture frames to hold a picture from our little trip so we can remember it all year round! 

Oh! And I can't forget these adorable little Minnie bow sticky tabs so I can have Disney magic as my study inspiration!

I am absolutely head over heels over my new Disney Alex and Ani bangles. I have been dying to start a collection and I am so happy I did. These are so cute and create a beautiful, yet not annoying, jingle. Needless to say I have been stalking the website in search of my next addition. 

Disney couples are the happiest couples.

And that's all she wrote! It was an amazing little weekend getaway that was the perfect way to end a long summer of hard work and to start off a new year of long distance. 

Weekend Recap: Painting Extravaganzas

Happy Monday once again, all! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. 

My weekend recap for this week is going to be quite short since my weekend consisted of one thing and one thing only: painting. 

Don't get me wrong I am extremely excited to be painting my room and I am not trying to complain at all, but man, it's a lot of (time-consuming) work! 

Since all of my pictures of the weekend were as boring as watching paint dry...literally (Oh how I love cheesy jokes) I spared you and only included the "highlights" I guess you can say. 

I started off Friday morning the good way with a cup of my Tiny Tea from the Your Tea Teatox that I recently started and reading my Confident Woman Devotional. 

Side-note on the tea, I ended up having to stop drinking it all together on Saturday unfortunately. After drinking it 3x a day for 3 days I was experiencing major headaches and feeling unusually sluggish/tired. Since I've stopped I feel normal again. I'm just a little bummed because I've been wanting to try out this tea for awhile now after hearing such great reviews on it. I have a feeling my reaction could have been due to a bad mix between the tea and a new medication I am currently taking. My body is already having to adjust to the medication so introducing another new factor was just bad timing on my part.  I might wait until I've completely adjusted to the medication before trying it try again. 

Then it was off to the painting races!

The before, the prime, and the giant headache I was left with. Choosing paint color is seriously a lot harder than it should be. Why do they have to make so many pretty shades of one color?! 

So after staring at the striped wall for way too long I finally decided on a top and a bottom color and began the "paint-staking" task (Okay I'll stop :P)

I wish I had a finished photo to show you but unfortunately there is none. I was only able to make it through the primer stage meaning there is still a lot of work to be done. At least I'm getting a pretty good workout from it!

And to make up for lack of pictures this time, I am including this one my sister snapped this weekend of her pug almost smiling! He was so happy about finding a "fresh-out-of-the-dryer" load of laundry to lay on he just couldn't contain himself! 

And that is that! I hope I did not bore you too much! I promise next weekend's recap will be a lot more interesting! More on that later!

Did you take any cute dog pictures this weekend? I'd love to know!

Linkin' up again!

Weekend Recap: Forrest Gump and Free Donuts!

Wow! Last week flew by, am I right? 

Luckily I had a pretty low key weekend to catch myself up...or at least feel like I did. 

Friday:

A local doughnut shop was giving out free breakfast Friday morning and I don't know about you but I can't think of a better way to begin my weekend than with a free doughnut AND coffee! Score! 

That little added excitement made running my Friday errands a lot happier! 

After that my morning went by quick and since the weather was surprisingly beautiful out, despite it being the thunderstorm prime-time, CM and I chanced it and headed to the beach. 

And it was worth it!

We spent our afternoon soaking up the sun and salty air and it was just what I needed. 

We finally made it to one of our favorite beach restaurants, Bubba Gump's. Going to this restaurant was one our summer bucket list because, well, it is a summer must do! 

I had a Bubba's favorite, Pear and Berry salad. So yummy and light enough that I didn't feel bloated in my bikini, but filling enough so I had the energy to lay out and tan (Because that involves so much work). 

Saturday: 

Saturday started bright and (semi) early at my nephew's toddler soccer class. He had a blast! 

 After that I headed over to CM's for a picnic by the lake, another summer bucket list item. Well, FL made up for it's lack of rain on Friday with a downpour for all of Saturday afternoon so, needless to say, we had an indoor picnic. Oh well!  

If you are from the South, you must know about the awesome-ness that is a Publix sub. There is nothing more beautiful than a fresh pub sub on a hot, summer day. Okay, I'm getting a little carried away, but seriously you have to try one if you haven't! I opted for the chicken tender sub today, a cult fave, and it did not disappoint, other than the fact that I couldn't even finish half of it. 

Source

In honor of our trip to Bubba Gump's restaurant the day before, CM and I decided to watch the movie that started it all, Forrest Gump. I'm not much of a movie person, actually the (small) amount of "classics" that I have seen is quite embarrassing, so when I realized I have never seen the entirety of this movie in one sitting, we decided it needed to be done asap. It is a great movie, a little on the longer side, but when you have a summer afternoon with nothing but a thunderstorm going on, it is absolutely perfect. 

 Sunday: 

Sunday was once again a day of errands, grocery shopping, and cleaning, but this Sunday was sprinkled with a trip to IHOP for breakfast and running into an old friend at good ole' Target. Always nice!

Sunday dinner was enjoyed poolside, something I've been trying to do all summer, but the timing never seem right. Salmon, shrimp, brown rice, and veggies, one of my favorite meals! 

What's your favorite summer meal? 

I'd love to know!

Linking up with Bella and Lisa for The Weekend Recap!

As well as Lisa and Rachael for the Weekly Wrap Up!

July Birchbox vs. Ipsy Showdown

Hello all!

I had so much fun doing this little showdown last month that I decided to do it again! 

So without further adieu, the contenders:

Birchbox's  Power Up Box

First off, can we talk about how pretty the packaging is?! I love the blue shipping box it came in, a nice change form the regular pink. But the actual box is so adorable! It's so cute it actually inspired me to work out....unfortunately, that inspiration hasn't been set into full action just yet, but it did inspire me none the less.

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo: Who doesn't love dry shampoo? I'm particularly excited about this one because it is a travel size so it is perfect to touch up on the go and it also has a nice light, fresh scent.

NAOBAY Body Radiance Lotion: I have already given this product to my mom because I was really not a fan of the scent to be honest. It's not bad, it is just one of those scents that provoke certain memories and for me that memory was the cleaner they used at my pre-school....

Vasanti Cosmetics Detox Facial Cleanser: On the other hand, I love the scent of this product (I feel like there is a trend going here...) It is a silky cleanser full of nutrients and I am excited to use with my Clarisonic.

Sumita Eyeliner in Raina: I love receiving eyeliners in BBs or Ipsy bags because I feel like you can really get your money's worth with that product alone. This eyeliner is a beautiful navy blue, a color I do not have, yet desperately wanted so I was very excited when I saw it in my box. I have yet to wear it but I can tell you that I swatched it on my hand before taking a shower and it is still on my hand now... as I type this... after my shower!

100% Pure Gingerade Shower Gel: I'm not sure how I feel about these beauty extras or if I am actually going to use them, or give them to someone else, solely because I am not a fan of ginger scented products. I am glad that they are an extra as opposed to one of the actual samples though.

As I've mentioned before I love the little extras BB throws into their boxes. They are really thoughtful and very creative. To go along with the theme, this month's box came with a little flipbook of mini challenges you can try to "power up" your every day. They're actually pretty interesting and I just might be doing them myself.

Ipsy's Sensationally Sunkissed Bag 

 Love the name/ theme! Perfect for this time of year and so catchy. The bag itself is this brilliant hot pink that I am so excited to throw into my beach bag! 

Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil: I am a huge fan of tanning oils for pool days or for afternoons when I just want to lay out. Unfortunately I have not been able to try this one out yet due to the weather, but I think it will make a good excuse to take a an afternoon off to lay out and test it out. I also love that it is travel friendly because my other tanning oil is so bulky to carry around.

Befine Daily Moisturizer: I am so glad that I have finally jumped on the daily moisturizer bandwagon. I always thought my skin was too oily for it, but I am now noticing that without it my skin does not look its best. I love trying out new ones to see how my skin reacts to them and from the looks of it this one seems to be a good contender with SPF 15 and a nice, light scent and texture.

wHet Nail Polish in Facetious: Love this bright dark blue! Definitely going to be the next color I paint my toes with!

BareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Cream Shadow: Although this little guy may seem ittie-bittie at first look, I feel like it will actually last me a long time considering the small amount you need for application. I didn't think I was going to really like this product, but I completely changed my mind once applying. The application was so smooth but still stayed in place and the shade is smokey yet wearable for the daytime.

Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink: I'm not sure what it is about this product but it absolutely love it. It is one of those balms that adjusts to the pH of your lips so each shade will be a little different. I was a little afraid of how light the color was in the tube, but after applying and waiting a few seconds it turned into this beautiful "my lips but better" shade with a nice, glossy favorite. Definitely a new favorite!

And with that I must choose a winner and that winner is.... Ipsy! I was genuinely excited about each of the products and my first impression of each product was a positive one. I was a little underwhelmed by the product selection of this month's BB which is unusual, but you know, not everyone is going to like everything. There were some great products in it however and I absolutely loved the packaging and the little challenge booklet as well.

So that is that!

What did you receive in you monthly subscription box? I'd love to know!

xoxo, 

5 Things Friday #1 + Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! 

Source

Because of this fun occasion on this wonderful Friday I decided to show you my 5 favorite purchases of the week! They're a bit random but the more random the better in my opinion!

1. Bath and Body Work Semi-Annual purchases 

I am considering these items a purchase of this week because, although I shopped in store almost 2 weeks ago, because my online order came at the beginning of this week. I love stocking up on candles and wallflowers during these sales and have been obsessed with the candle scent in Sundress and the signature collection scent in Violet Lily Sky.

2. Starbucks' New Blackberry Mojito Iced Tea

Not gonna lie, I did not have high hopes for this iced tea but boy was I wrong. I love this! It's light and refreshing, but not in the typical way and it is actually sweet enough on its own that I did not feel like I needed to have it sweetened. This is going to be my new go-to drink of the summer!

3. Quest Bars

I finally got my hands on a few Quest bars and I was a little too excited when I came across them at the store. I have been wanting to try these bars out for awhile ever since I heard great things about them. I immediately picked up the flavors 'cookies and cream' and 'cookie dough', naturally, and they are SO GOOD. It is crazy to think that each bar has 21 grams of protein. A must try! 

4. Panhellenic Crest Tank 

Being a Rho Gamma for fall recruitment means that for the summer I temporarily drop my letters. I will probably go more in depth about this experience in later posts because I am honestly so excited about it. Along with deactivating of social media, being "disaffiliated" means that I cannot wear any clothing that is associated with my greek affiliation. Because I basically live in letters and sorority shirts, when I am not in my usual office attire, this is becoming a little hard for me. I decided to use an Etsy gift card that I had to buy a simple PC tank that I can wear during the summer and still show my Greek pride. If you are interested, I bought mine here. :) 

5. Stethoscope Laptop Sticker

Buy It Here

Super impulsive buy, but I figured this could be considered preparing for Nursing school, right? It was just too cute and I can't wait for it to arrive!

I feel like I am cheating but I just had to throw in these beautiful red, white, and blue flowers I purchased at the grocery store today. All in the spirit of the holiday. #'merica!

Did you have any exciting purchases this week? I'd love to know!

 

Linking up with Claire @ Fitting It All In today for 5 Things Friday!

Have a happy and safe 4th all!

xo,

J