Considering it’s been 7+ months since I’ve posted anything on here(!), I think it’s safe to say that my posts are becoming few and far between. But I recently found myself with a little extra free time, and thought it might be fun to check in, say hello, and share one of our recent home projects. Because, man, am I absolutely thrilled with how it turned out!

I actually alluded to this project back in my last post from March…

You may remember our fireplace makeover project from back in March 2020. At the time, I really loved the blue accent wall, and I thought for sure that I’d still want to keep it after this new project was completed. But then, of course, I changed my mind.

If you hadn’t already figured it out, we (aka, Jay, not me) installed some new living room windows. I absolutely love a nice, bright room; but unfortunately, because of where the house is situated and where the sun rises/sets, this space just never got very much light.

So it was time to bring it in!

The whole process of cutting out the interior walls was pretty smooth sailing, although Jay did have to do some re-wiring of the electrical outlets to the left of the fireplace.

He also had to make sure that the walls were restructured in a way to ensure there was enough support (because, you know, we don’t want things collapsing after cutting huge holes into the side of the house).

When it came time to actually cut through the side of the house, I’ll admit, it was a little nerve-racking! But Jay did his due diligence, and thanks to him and the help of our cousin Mike, they pulled it off like professionals. You’d never even know they weren’t originally there!

So once the windows were installed, then came the decision on what to do with this wall.

Since it was easier to put up new sheetrock all around the windows, as opposed to just patching the open spaces, it gave me a feel for what it would look like if we went back to a lighter color. And that’s when the wheels got spinning.

After some back and forth, we decided to just stick with the original color that’s on the rest of the living room walls (Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams) and I am 100% happy we went that direction.

Then came the job of trying to find the right curtains, which took some trial and error! Since the windows are narrow, I originally thought maybe I just wanted one panel on the outside of each window. But, nope, that looked weird. Then I needed to find a color that wouldn’t be too gray, or too white, so they wouldn’t clash with the couch and the walls.

I believe it was the fourth attempt at a pair, which are these Crossweave Dove Grey curtains from the At Home store, that finally did the trick. Then it was time to get some new curtain rods, since I decided I wanted switch the look of the curtain hardware from brushed nickel to bronze. Much to my surprise, it actually proved rather difficult to find a set of curtain rods (that I liked) in both a large and small size. But Home Depot was our winner, and we wound up going with these curtain rods for all 3 windows.

Six panels and three new curtain rods later, and we finally had a finished look.

living room before and after

When I look back at pictures from just a few years ago, it’s crazy to see just how DIFFERENT the room feels now!

Needless to say, I am absolutely thrilled with how it turned out. The room gets SO much more light now, and we can even watch the boys when they’re playing out on the side of the house. Ahh, it just makes my heart happy.

living room before and after

The only thing left to do now is swap out the ceiling fan (this one is a current contender), but we’ll get there eventually!

And I figured, since it’s been forever since I’ve even updated this space, I’ll leave you all with a recent family pic while we were out apple picking a couple of weeks ago. These kids of mine are getting huge and I just can’t even believe it.

Ohh, how I really do miss you all and wish I could check back in more often. I hope all of you (err, if there’s even anyone who will still see this?!) are doing SO well and I wish you all a fun, safe, and spooky Halloween weekend coming up! <3

Keeping up with the Five F’s that I introduced a couple of weeks ago, I’ve got some more fun stuff to share again today, so I’m gonna go ahead and dive right in.

Fashion

A few weeks ago, DSW was having a BOGO 50% off sale, so I snagged a couple of casual pairs that I figured would get me through spring. The first were these Reebok Classic Harman Run Sneaker, and I just think they’re so cute.

They pair great with joggers (which is basically what I live in these days), and I foresee them getting lots of use.

The second pair was a pair of black TOMS, which I got mainly because I needed something I could easily slip on and off that isn’t flip flops.

They’ll definitely do the trick!

Oh, and speaking of joggers, I also recently got a pair of these Old Navy High-Waisted Garment-Dyed Street Jogger Pants when they were half off, and they’re awesome.

I like my comfy pants to fit, well, comfy. So I always like to make sure there’s a little extra room. I ordered a medium, which is my usual size, and they fit great without feeling too tight in the waist.

And, oh hey, looks like it’s time to clean my mirror once again.

Food

I’ve got a new favorite coffee drink that I’m kinda, sorta obsessed with. Have any of you tried the new cold brew with sweet cold foam from Dunkin’ yet? If not, promise me that you will!

I’ve long been a fan of the Starbucks cold brew, but Dunkin’s is just as tasty. My favorite way to order is with 1 pump of caramel + 1 pump of mocha, no extra milk/creamer, and it seriously hits the spot. Let me know if you give it a try!

We’ve also made a couple of really good recipes here lately…

This Creamy Chicken Soup with Pasta and Spinach was a huge hit with the whole family, even the boys (after, of course, they complained because it “looked weird”). *A couple notes: I added an extra 2.5 cups of chicken broth + probably another 1-1.5 cups of water, and it was still really thick. You’ll also need to continuously stir after adding the pasta so that it doesn’t wind up sticking to the bottom. Overall, absolutely LOVED this one.

This Grilled Chicken Marinade is probably one of the best that I’ve ever made (thank youuu, Ashley, for the heads up on this one!). I like subbing orange juice in place of the lemon juice, and we’ve been letting the chicken marinate in the fridge for about 24 hours before grilling up. Ughhh, it’s SO good.

And we brought back another long-time favorite of ours this past week…these Tostadas w/ Salsa Verde Carnitas are SO good.

They’re also quite messy, but…worth it.

And last, but not least I need to give a big shout out to this Cookies & Cream flavor of Enlightened ice cream.

I really should know better, but I sat down with the new pint while watching some Netflix…and before I knew it, I was scraping the bottom. One pint, for me apparently, can easily equate to one serving. Whoopsies.

Fitness

Not too much new to report here. Still (impatiently) waiting on the delivery of our Peloton, but still enjoying a bunch of their tread workouts on the app. I’m actually surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed including some running in my routine, since it had easily been a good year or two since I really did much of it. I like to do a mix of things, so it could be as simple as a quick, 10-minute “extra mile” run tacked onto the end of a strength workout, or as long as a 45 minute interval run (which I’ve been including on Sundays frequently).

I absolutely, 100% choose my tread workouts based on the instructor first, followed by the playlist second. Because I need some good beats for when I’m running!

My strength workouts are still happening via the Faster Way to Fat Loss, and they’ve brought some serious HEAT the past couple of weeks. Saturdays are usually my favorite, because it’s leg day, but Monday’s HIIT workout really had my heartrate up!

Oh, and the only reason I know that is because I was lucky enough to receive an Apple Watch from my parents for Christmas.

It was honestly the only thing I really wanted, so I was super pumped to finally jump on board. I love being able to track my stats, and see how I’m doing.

The one thing I’ve noticed, is that it’s often hard for me to hit my “movement goal” on the days where I’m only strength training (usually Wednesday/Thursday for me). At first I was like aww man, I’m missing my goals! But honestly, those workouts really are enough for me on their own, so it’s not the end of the world if I don’t close a ring on those days. I could definitely see where it could become easy to get bogged down by the idea of having to close all 3 rings everyday; and Courtney from 7-8 years ago would probably be more concerned about that. Thankfully, Courtney from today realizes that it’s definitely not a concern. <3

Fun

We were totally teased with the most amazing weather this week. Mid-60s and sunny, and it was giving me liiiiife.

I brought my laptop outside and worked for as long as I could in between meetings during the afternoon, for a little change of scenery.

And then some of the neighbors wound up congregating in the street and enjoyed a couple of drinks while the kids played after school.

We were even greeted with the prettiest rainbow after a quick little rain shower.

Ahhh, I will be SO ready for when this weather comes back and is here to stay!

In other fun news, we’ve got a new house project on the horizon! It’ll still be a good 5-6 weeks before anything happens, since we have to wait for our stuff to arrive, but this pic may gave you a little hint as to what we’ve got in store.

I’m SO excited.

Family

Alex was invited to his first school friend birthday party last weekend and I cannot begin to tell you how happy I was for him. To be able to have something to look forward to, outside of the house, with other friends.

It’s been such a long year for these kiddos, and they really do deserve to have some fun.

And in probably the most exciting news we’ve received this week, Lucas is going to be starting back to in-person school FULL time starting in mid-April!! While we’ve been very lucky through all of this, and academically he’s adjusted very well, he truly does need that social aspect of being in school with his peers.

So as a mom, this past week has probably been one of the most exciting and encouraging weeks in a LONG time.

I hope you’ve all been having a great week, and have some fun in store for the weekend. Chat soon! <3

If you’ve got any of these, too, or have had some awesome finds yourself, I’d love to hear about ’em in the comments!

*FYI & full transparency…all of the Amazon links shared in today’s post are affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, I’ll only share links to items that I truly love and spend my own money on. <3

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1.Hurdilen Resistance Bands

I already mentioned that I’m a huge fan of the FWTFL strength workouts, and many of them incorporate strength bands. For a long time, I was just using my existing mini bands for added resistance, but I didn’t realize what a difference these cloth strength bands made. Whew!

For only about $14, you really can’t beat the price for getting the set of 3 in various resistance levels, and they’re really great quality. They stay in place (as opposed to the mini bands I was using which were constantly sliding up when I used them above the knees), and my goodness, do they help you feel the burn. I can’t believe I went for so long without having them added to my little home gym setup.

2. Casual Waffle Knit Sleeveless Top

Hellooo, my new favorite top for spring/summer! No idea how I came across this one, but I’m thrilled that I did.

I’m loving the high neck line, making it perfect for work. The material is great, with minimal wrinkles after washing (always a huge bonus for me, because I hate ironing, but hate wrinkled clothes more), and the fit is roomy but stylish. The tan color is a bit see-through, so I do have to wear another tank underneath, but my guess is that the darker colors wouldn’t have this issue.

The price on these ranges between around $15-17, depending on the color, so they’re definitely a good buy! And with that said…adds black option to cart.

3. Hair Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush

Thank you to my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Carissa, for informing me of this one. I don’t know how we got on the subject one day, but I was likely talking about how I could never get enough suds while washing my hair. Well…let. me. tell. you. A little scrub action from this baby while in the shower, and my hair is suds city.

Not only that, but I will forever and always be in love with a good scalp massage, and this little brush feels so nice. Not only that, but they also say that it can help to strengthen the roots of the hair, too, so it’s a win-win. Definitely a must-have for me now.

4. Multilayer Leather Wrap Bracelet

I’ve always loved the look of bracelets, but hate how they’re always clanging against each other or getting in the way while I’m writing or typing. So I psyched when I came across this leather wrap bracelet, because while it has somewhat of the look of layered bracelets, the leather (and lack of metal) makes them much quieter and less invasive.

I also really appreciate the metal clasp, making it super easy to snap on and off.

Or, if you’re like me, it just makes it more fun to mess around with on and off all day.

I already shared this one in my last post, but it’s worth mentioning again because I love them that much. I was so sad when Target stopped carrying the C9 line, so the fact that I can still grab them from Amazon is awesome.

Size-wise, they’re true to size. I’m typically a small or medium in tops, depending on the brand and/or fit of the top; I own these in both smalls and mediums, and they’re both a roomy fit, obviously with medium having a bit more. With the larger size, I even have enough room to do a cute little front knot, to show off to absolutely no one while I’m working out alone in my basement.

But hey, now you know, too. ; )

6. Microfiber Kitchen Towels

You can mark this one off as a purchase that I had zero excitement about, because honestly…who enjoys spending money on towels, let alone kitchen towels?!

But these towels are a thing of beauty. The microfiber does an amazing job of drying things quickly, they’re super soft, and they’re even pretty cute. They come in lots of different colors, so there’s likely a color combo for everyone out there!

7. Botanic Tree Glycolic Acid Face Wash

I have to thank Jen Reed from The Sister Studio for introducing me to this one. You can categorize this one into the “definitely didn’t need it but was totally influenced” bucket, but I have zero regrets. I try to incorporate it into my nightly skincare routine about 2-3x/week, where I do a double cleanse (I cleanse with my regular cleanser first, then follow up a second time with the Botanic Tree). It leaves my skin feeling SO soft and legit, squeaky clean.

8. Hilife Handheld Clothes Steamer

Back in the day, when Jay and I actually worked in an office (sigh), at least one of us was likely ironing clothes every single day. So rather than always setting up and taking down our ironing board, it was a constant décor piece in our bedroom (which I hated). So you know, since we’re always home now and only need to be presentable from about the shoulders up, ironing isn’t really that much of a priority anymore, and I was thrilled to take down that monster of an ironing board.

That said, I still despise wrinkled clothes. But rather than always dealing with the iron + ironing board, I found this little handheld clothes steamer and it has become a perfect replacement! If/when I need a quick steam on a top, I can plug it in, fill it up, and have a quick steam done within a few minutes. I’ve even used it on some curtains that I’d been meaning to iron, and it was SO much more convenient. Would highly recommend!

9. Mellanni Bed Sheet Set

Funny enough, I’m including these bed sheets in this post, even though I actually bought them over a year ago. The brushed microfiber material makes them suuuuper soft, they come in tons of colors and patterns, and they wash/dry really well (which I can attest to, now having had them for over a year!). Bed sheets are another one of those items that I don’t really love spending money on, but for the price, you really can’t beat ’em.

10. Naipo Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager

This one was a bit of an impromptu purchase, and we have zero regrets. While hanging out with our neighbors one night, we got chatting about this neck massager and discovered that it was on sale for something like 40% off?! So I’m pretty sure I was able to snag it for less than $40, and right now it looks like it’s on sale for $50 for Prime members + an extra 20% off coupon!

Both Jay and I deal with really annoying, and sometimes rather painful neck pain (thanks, poor posture while working from home…!). This thing feels SO GOOD, hits all of the right spots, and works great on not only the neck, but down the back, too. It even heats up, which feels amaaaazing. I love to toss it on while watching TV at night after the kids go to bed, but be warned…start out slowwwwwly. The first time I used it, I had it on for about 45 minutes, and I woke up SO sore the next day from all of the massaging! So just work your way up on the timing if you don’t want to wake up extra sore.

What fun stuff have YOU purchased lately?!

Since it’s been forever and a day since I’ve done Fun Facts, I feel like I could write about 120 of them and still not be caught up(!). So to make things a little simpler for me, I’m going to break down my fun facts into five main F’s, which cover all of my main/favorite topics on this little space…

Fashion

Food

Fitness

Fun

Family

So with that said, let’s catch up!

Fashion

Does a continuous rotation of joggers, sweatpants, and leggings count as fashion? Asking for a friend. And she’s me.

I swear, I don’t know what I’ll do when I have to go back to wearing actual pants/jeans everyday.

I’ve fallen in love with these tunic sweatshirts from Walmart, although sizes are super limited now.

I also recently snagged a couple more of these C9 workout tanks, which are one of my favorite tanks EVER. They’re great for workouts, obviously, but I often use the neutral white/black colors for layering under everyday clothes, too.

For reference, I own them in both small and medium sizes and both fit really well. 

Food

I’ve been finding myself going through all sorts of phases with food and eating, since I’m home all. the. time. So basically, if we’re being honest, my eating habits have been crap.

Sometimes I’ll go for a few weeks where all I want to do is snack or make snack plates.

Then I’ll get bored with that and go back to wanting three meals. I started to get really bored with salads, and also found that they weren’t really agreeing with my stomach that well, so I’ve sort of taken a break from those for a bit.

When it comes to dinners, we were getting super lame and often repeating the same, easy, non-exciting meals week after week. So we started back up with some HelloFresh deliveries every few weeks (we pay for it ourselves, so not sponsored, but you can use this discount code to get $40 OFF!), and they’ve been a great way to mix things up a bit.

And, of course, can’t leave out the sweets and treats. The jumbo cookie trend is still huge around here, and we’ve gotten into somewhat of a habit of stopping in and picking up a few jumbos from Upstate Cookie Shack every once in a while.

We get a couple different flavors, cut them up into 4 or 6 pieces each, and enjoy them throughout the week. They are so, so good.

Fitness

The last time I wrote up some fun facts, I was contemplating the purchase of a Peloton bike. Well, in late November we decided to take the plunge and made the purchase!

The one downside to that is…it’s February 25th, and we still don’t have a bike. Womp wompppp. Our delivery was originally scheduled for late January, but we fell into what is apparently a large bucket of people out there who are still waiting on a delivery. As of right now, it’s been rescheduled for April 5th (!!!!), but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that something will happen in the meantime and we’ll get bumped up a bit.

SO, bad news is still no bike.

GOOD news, is that I’ve really been loving using the Peloton app! We get access to the app while we’re waiting for our delivery, and since we already have a treadmill, I’ve been taking a bunch of the running/tread classes and they’re awesome (Jess and Robyn are my jammmm). It had really been quite some time since I dusted off the ol’ treadmill, but it’s been a great way to switch things up a bit.

When it comes to strength training, the Peloton app does have some great classes, but my go-to strength classes continue to be those offered through the Faster Way to Fat Loss program (you can read here about my experience with the 6-week program from about this time last year). I absolutely LOVE the way that they break up the workouts each week, so there’s no wasting time to try and figure out what to do. Not only that, but the workouts are SO effective and I always walk away feeling great.

I’m actually really excited because there’s going to be a bit of a shoulder challenge in March, and I looooove me some pumped up shoulders. If you’re at all interested in giving the program a try, their next round is starting Monday, March 1st, and you can easily sign up using my affiliate link HERE! The first week is considered “prep week,” which allows you to really get a better feel for the program and what you’ll need to prepare and be successful throughout the program.

Oh, and one last update on the fitness front (which you may or may not have already noticed) would have to be the fact that we gave our workout space a bit of a refresh!

So now, rather than looking at pink insulation and 2×4’s, we’ve got sheetrock, painted walls, and even a TV that we can use to airplay our workouts. Nothing fancy, but it’s definitely an upgrade.

Fun

Like I mentioned in my last post, I’ve done a little extra shopping over the past few months. What can I say? When I’m stuck at home and staring at the same walls all day long, it gets more bored and inspires me to want to update and change things. So in addition to the bathroom remodel, there’s been some other updates around the house, too.

A couple of months back, I decided I wanted to switch up one of the walls in the kitchen. We moved the arch (which I bought when I visited Magnolia Market in Texas a few years ago!) that was originally there to a different wall in the living room…

And we put up some cute new shelves that I found at Hobby Lobby.

Thank goodness we had Lucas to take pictures so we could try to figure out where to place them, because we were having the hardest time figuring that out!

So that was fun, and they definitely add a nice little touch to the kitchen.

I also had some fun last month, celebrating my birthday!

Margaritas + churros with my girls Tal and Ashley was a favorite highlight, along with the most amazing steak dinner with Jay (although no pics to show for that one).

And I feel like this is such old news at this point, but since I haven’t blogged since, I figured I’d share…I finally got my tattoo!

I decided on a design and got it back in early December, and I could not be happier with it. I’ve already been thinking about what I could get next. ; )

Family

It’s safe to say that this family is counting down the days/hours/minutes until spring arrives and we can finally get back outside more often.

As expected, this winter has brought us all sorts of togetherness, and being cooped up inside so often has definitely brought its challenges. Working from home with at least one kid here 4 out of 5 days a week is not easy. But overall, all things considered, we’re doing great. Work is going really for both Jay and myself, and the boys are both doing good with school. The hybrid model that Lucas’s school is currently using still stinks, but we’re making do with it and just hoping that they’ll be back in school full time sooner rather than later.

The rest of our extended family is also doing well, and I wanted to thank those of you who have taken the time to ask!

We all enjoyed each other’s company over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and we get together for the occasional dinner or drinks, or even bowling outing, when we can.

So there ya have it! Thanks for sticking around with me still, and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! <3

Instead of a full renovation, we focused on easy, affordable changes that would make a big difference in a small space. I’m so happy with how it turned out, and I’m excited to walk you through all the details in case you’re planning your own small bathroom update.

To give you a little perspective, here’s what the bathroom looked like before…

Half Bath Remodel Before

• It wasn’t horrible, but definitely boring.
• I always hated that pedestal sink, and was thrilled to do away with that thing.

The paint color shown here is Sherwin Williams Storm Cloud.

Jay and I completed this project back in January, and just to be clear…when I say “Jay and I” that really means that I went out and spent all the money, and he did all the heavy lifting of putting my vision to life. So, kudos to you, Jason. I knew I married you for a reason.

Our Half Bath Remodel Goals

Some of the updates were easy to decide on (and I’ve got everything linked below for you!), such as the vanity.

We were limited with the size we could put in there, so this 24″W Bath Vanity in Pearl Gray was the first one I spotted that I liked, and ultimately still wound up being the winner.

I replaced the brushed nickel hardware that it came with, with a mix of matte black knobs and handles that I found at Home Depot, to match the rest of the matte black accessories that I picked out.

I searched quite a few places for black accessories (like the toilet paper holder and towel ring), and ultimately decided on this Matte Black Bathroom Accessories Set. It was priced really well, compared to others I had been looking at, and didn’t include a bunch of extra accessories that we just didn’t need.

Next up was the light, and this one really threw me for a loop. I originally fell in love with a certain 3-light fixture that I found, but it would have been too big for the space. So I looked around for a few weeks before I finally settled on this 2-light fixture. I had really wanted one with black domes, but I’m glad we went with the clear because I think it helps brighten things up just a bit more.

One of the things that I knew I wanted in the bathroom before anything else was the shiplap on one wall. I wanted things to brighten up a bit in there, and that’s exactly what it did. Jay actually used the same shiplap that we put over our fireplace when we did that makeover about a year ago.

The most difficult item for me to find and decide on was the mirror. Originally, I had envisioned a rustic, wood frame mirror. I picked out a bunch of them, brought them home to try out, and they just weren’t working.

I think what was really throwing me off was the fact that they wouldn’t match the wooden shelves (which also took some searching to find the right ones!), so I eventually started looking at a black frame.

Well, wouldn’t ya know. As soon as I brought this round mirror home, it fit perfectly.

So last up was the shelves. The winning pair wound up being these Rustic Wood Floating Shelves with L Brackets from Amazon. Not only were they priced right, but I was really impressed with the look and quality of them when they arrived.

Jay also says they were easy to install, so extra bonus there that I’d know nothing about.

Of course, you can’t have bare shelves, so I took a few existing accessories and paired them with some new. I loved this Magnolia Small Wire Storage Basket, which I filled with some simple white washcloths, as well as this Threshold Small Glass Container. Simple and cute.

Well, I think that covers everything! It was so fun to check in again, and hopefully I’ll be back again soon. <3

Half Bath Remodel After (Before and After Transformation)

As promised, links to everything can be found below.

Budget-Friendly Half Bath Remodel Ideas

• Shiplap: Classic 5.25-in x 12-ft White Pine Shiplap Wall Plank

• Vanity: Glacier Bay Everdean 24″W Bath Vanity in Pearl Gray

• Replacement Cabinet Hardware: Matte Black Cabinet Knobs and Matte Black Cabinet Handles

• Faucet: Oswell 4 in. Centerset Bathroom Faucet in Matte Black

• Light: Hines 2-Light Black and Seeded Glass Bath Light

• Accessories: Matte Black Bathroom Accessories Set

• Shelves: Rustic Wood Floating Shelves with L Brackets

• Mirror: Black Round Metal Wall Mirror – Small

• Extra Décor/Accessories: Take a Seat Wall Décor, Threshold Small Glass Container, Magnolia Small Wire Storage Basket, Magnolia Room Spray in Salt (I’ve become obsessed with this scent and also have the candle, too!), ‘Wash Your Hands’ book stack + greenery from HomeGoods

With that said, here’s a running list of all sort of stuff that’s been happening over the past two months.

1. Despite all of the COVID related restrictions this year, we were still able to enjoy our annual family apple picking day.

2. Let’s be honest though…the cider donuts are one of the best parts of apple picking, aren’t they?!

3. And speaking of cider donuts…add one to a sundae with loads of caramel and soft vanilla ice cream and good lord, it’s heaven.

4. I still have yet to take part in any pumpkin coffee drinks this season (crazy, considering the fanatic I used to be), but I have been loving my Dunkin’ pumpkin munchkins.

5. Back in September, I decided to chop my hair a bit.

6. Then last weekend, I decided to chop off even more. Because hey, why not?

7. I’m still loving strength training, and have been averaging 3-4 strength training days/week. BUT, I’ve recently become somewhat intrigued by the Peleton bike as a different form of cardio exercise on my non-strength training days. I feel like anyone I’ve spoken to that has one LOVES it, but it really is quite an investment so I’m not totally on board just yet. Unlessssss any of you are able to convince me otherwise…?

8. The boys are back in school! This is Alex’s last year of preschool, and Lucas started 2nd grade, and so far…all things considered…things have been going really, really well.

9. They’ve both got somewhat of a hybrid model happening at their schools, with Lucas in school 2 days a week/home three, and Alex in school 2 mornings a week/1 morning remote. While I would LOVE to have them in person full time, I’m trying to just remain thankful that we’re at least able to maintain their part time remote work from home, while Jay and I also continue to work our own jobs from home.

10. Speaking of work, I got a promotion! I had been working toward this move since the beginning of 2020, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. I’ve now taken on more of a project management role, and while it definitely requires a bit more time and attention, I feel like I’m finally using my brain and skills in a way that I haven’t had to in a long time. And I love it. So, take that, 2020.

11. I have become absolutely OBSESSED with this Target sweater. So much so, that I’ve purchased it in four different colors so far. It’s crazy comfortable, and I ordered up a size (size large for me) so it would have a bit more of a roomy/relaxed fit. It’s perfect for fall, winter, and working from home, and it’s only $20!

The dirty mirror is BACK!

12. I also fell in love with this Abercrombie sweater (currently on clearance!) that I purchased back in September when Sister Studio launched her collection with them. They have limited stock/sizes right now, but I’d totally recommend checking to see if they have yours, especially with it being on sale.

13. And if we’re talking about clothing that I’ve recently fallen in love with, than I also have to include these joggers. There have been many days lately where I’m totally ‘Zoom presentable’ for work up top, but I’m definitely sporting these on the bottom (for reference, I have them in a medium and they are plenty roomy!).

14. Watching Lucas play soccer this year has become so much more fun than the past couple of years. He’s at the age where they’re finally, actually starting to play more of a game…as a team…rather than the coaches basically herding cats and trying to stop everyone on the field from chasing the ball at once. Seriously though, his games have become one of my favorite weekend activities. <3

15. Our Butcher Box deliveries have been knocking it outta the park lately. We’ve been getting a box every six-ish weeks or so since March, and everything we get always tastes so fresh, tender, and delicious. Their signups were actually on hold for a few months, but they’ve since opened them back up. And if you want to give them a shot, you can use this referral code to snag $15 off your first box!

16. As bored as I get with making them all the time, I must admit…I do make a pretty mean salad. And pretzel Goldfish crackers have become my new favorite “crunch” to add to them lately.

17. Out of all the holidays out there, Halloween is most definitely my favorite one to decorate our mantle for.

18. I feel like this quote really speaks to how my heart has been feeling lately. Which is a big reason for why I’ve been somewhat quiet on social media.

19. If there was ever a graphic to fully capture all of the little things that can easily make my day…

Seriously. Every single one of them.

20. I was so sad to have to let go of summer this year, not knowing what kind of fall/winter we’ll be looking at.

21. And, is it just me, or did the sun suddenly go from setting at like, 8:30pm to 6:30pm overnight?! One bonus to that, is that movie nights have returned (and my kids only like doing them when it’s dark out, hence the bonus).

22. After years of contemplating it, I’m getting my first tattoo next month. I’ve been working with Simple Sally Designs on a small, simple design, and I can’t wait. We’ve had a bunch of back and forth, but this was the first round of designs that she shared with me.

I’ll be sure to share the final result once I have it!

23. The boys have moved on from their love of battery powered cars to quads (they have these, which were given for birthdays this summer from the family), and they love to cruise around in the yard with some of their other neighborhood buddies who happen to have the same ones.

24. Not gonna lie…they’re also really fun for adults, too.

25. I feel like there are so many other random things that have happened over the past couple of months that I could share, but because I’ve been much more lax about photographing everything (simply for the sake of sharing it on social media), I don’t have the evidence to show for it!

Okay, wellllll, I think that should catch us up to speed a bit. I honestly, really do want to make my way back to this space more often, but between working from home, with a new job, while also trying to help kiddos through their school work…well, there just aren’t enough hours in the day! So I’m not sure when I’ll be back to chat, but thank you to all of you who are still here reading this today, and to those who have checked in while I was gone for a bit. You’re all the best.

Stay well! <3

1. Jay and I decided to both take this week off from work, since both of us have barely used any of our time off for the year (besides our Wildwood trip) and we’ve been enjoying a nice little”staycation.” On Wednesday, we took a trip out to Adirondack Animal Land (about an hour away from us) to go visit the animals!

It was our first time visiting, so I don’t know what it’s typically like, but they now have the entire attraction as a drive-through. It was a long time to sit (for us, since we had the hour drive both ways, plus just under an hour there), but the kids loved seeing and feeding the animals and it was pretty cool to see these huge camels just staring us down.

Thankfully, no one got spit on!

2. On Monday, we brought the boys out for mini golf, lunch, school supply shopping, and ice cream.

3. And yesterday, Jay and I enjoyed a little lunch date while the boys were at daycare. Nothin’ like treating yourself to a little Thursday afternoon sangria!

We went to a new-to-us restaurant nearby called Eadilyn’s Table and everything was awesome. We didn’t eat until closer to 2pm, so there was only one other table of people when we arrived. But we grabbed a spot outside, ordered our drinks, and chatted for a bit before our food arrived.

I ordered their Grilled Chicken Strawberry Wrap, and wow. Just WOW. I can 100% say we will be back there, and this time, I want to go for brunch!

4. Oh, we officially have a SEVEN year old in the house!

We celebrated Lucas’s birthday last month, and between mini golf, and fun with family, neighbors, and a few close school friends, I think it’s safe to say he had a pretty great few days.

5. For the couple of little celebrations we had for him at the house, we rented a huge inflatable water slide, and I will tell you that that was probably the best money we spent all summer.

That thing was a BLAST. All of the kids AND adults spent some time on it, and I think it’s safe to say that we definitely got our money’s worth out of it.

6. And, of course, not only did we celebrate Lucas’s birthday, but Jay had a birthday, too!

To celebrate his birthday, we actually had a few of our close neighbor friends over and all sent the kids off for sleepovers with their grandparents. We had THE best time just hanging out for the day and playing some yard Olympics. Probably one of my favorite days from the summer!

7. We had been getting SO lazy when it comes to meal planning (a constant rotation of grilled chicken, chicken burgers, tacos, and pizza gets old real quick), so we started getting some HelloFresh deliveries about once a month. All of the meals have been SO good, and it’s always so refreshing to switch things up a bit and not have to worry about planning ahead. **FYI: If you haven’t tried HelloFresh yet but want to, you can use this link to get $40 OFF of your first order!** These tacos we had were so simple, but so full of flavor.

Served along with some fresh, sweet corn on the cob, which has been a big hit for everyone in our house lately.

8. Talking about big hits…THANK YOU to those of you who offered some different Pilates recommendations last week! I’ve tried out a couple of workouts from Sydney Cummings, and they have been incredible. Like, left me so sore in places I haven’t felt sore in in a long time. This 30 minute Full Body Power Pilates workout was awesome, FYI. And I just recently (aka, yesterday) decided to start doing her Summertime Fine 2.0 program. I was getting bored and had no direction on what I wanted to do on any give day, so I’m excited to try something new and not have to think about what comes next.

9. In case you guys are in need of some home workout ideas, you can always check out my Workouts Page (even though it hasn’t been updated in years, there are still plenty of great treadmill and circuit workouts on there!). I also have a few other posts with some of my favorite YouTube workouts HERE, and HERE, as well as my full review of Fitness Blender’s 4 Week FB Strong program. I still use and LOVE so many of the Fitness Blender workouts today!

10. I have been obsessed with allllll the fresh tomatoes lately. My dad has been giving us a bunch from his garden, and I love just slicing one up with a little sea salt to have has a snack or with breakfast.

Seriously, summer tomatoes are where it’s at.

11. So how are things looking for where you guys are in terms of the kiddos heading back to school? We just got some feedback on the reopening plans for our school district, and it looks like our kids will be going back to school 2 days a week, and doing remote or live/virtual instruction from home 3 days a week.

My mind is in total overdrive lately, with trying to figure out how things are going to look for us come September (Do I try to stay working from home and having him do school while I’m here? Can I do both simultaneously and still be able to devote the time and attention to my job? Do we look into additional child care? Does it even make sense, financially, to pay almost double in daycare?). I fully and completely understand that there are still just so many unknowns, and NO plan is ideal at this point. There’s just so much to consider and so many options to weigh at this point! So for any fellow mamas out there who are also struggling with any of this, I. Feel. You. <3

12. I had to share this fun little engagement basket that I created a couple of weeks ago for my brother and his fiance, Carissa. I feel like it’s been forever since I attempted to be crafty, in any capacity, but this was honestly so fun to put together for them!

I picked up a few of their favorite bottles, then hit up Michael’s for the basket, filler, ribbon, flowers, and glasses. I found the free printable for the bottle tags ONLINE HERE, and printed them in black and white. So fun!

Whew. Okay, I think we’re all caught up for now. I hope you’ve all been hanging in there and finding some fun this summer! I’ll try to check back in next week, but for now, go have yourselves a great weekend <3

While we’d definitely love to have a pool of our own again some day (ohh, how I miss that pool), it’s just not in the cards for us quite yet. So we’re very lucky to have this one to drive down the road to!

Lucas just absolutely adores his papa. <3

2. Last week, I decided to place an order for a couple of the items from Primally Pure’s new Summer Home Collection, and I am SO pumped about them because I feel like we’re already entering the world of “lingering boy smell” in this house and it could use a little freshening up, if we’re being honest!

This Summer scent smells SO good, and everyone in the house is a fan. I’ve been diffusing it in the mornings and it adds a nice, subtle scent to the air. In case you want to give any of their products a try, you can use my affiliate link to get 10% off your first order! I love Primally Pure, and have for a few years now…especially their Blue Tansy deodorant. It’s my favorite.

3. Did you guys know that National Ice Cream Day was this past Sunday?

I couldn’t let the day go by without celebrating, so I stopped down at Stewart’s to grab some double scoops for Jay and myself after putting the boys to bed. Ughh, their cookie dough is just THE best. They also have a vanilla + salted caramel swirl flavor out right now, called Civility, which has also been my jam. A scoop of each, and I’m one happy girl.

4. So, as you guys likely already know, we had to put Cody down last month. Well, after we got back from vacation, we were able to pick his ashes up from the vet, and we also had this sweet little surprise.

They saved some of his fluffy, orange fur and made a little mold from his paw print. I immediately cried as soon as I opened it, but I’m so appreciative of the fact that we have this keepsake we can hold onto. We sure do miss that little guy. <3

5. I’ve been trying reeeeeally hard to cut down on the amount of iced coffees I’d been purchasing lately (damn you, Dunkin’ for offering $2.00 for the past 2 months…!), so I decided to grab some of this Califia Cold Brew coffee the last time I was at the grocery store as a replacement.

While it doesn’t totally compare to my beloved caramel mocha from Dunkin’, this cold brew is actually really good. I’ve been mixing it with some milk and a squeeze of chocolate syrup, and it definitely hits the spot. I think next time I’m going to give the medium roast a try!

6. You know, I wish I would stop going so long without having avocado toast in my life. I go through phases where I love it, then I sort of forget about it for a while. But man, top it with a little Everything But the Bagel seasoning, and it is seriously one of my favorite savory snacks.

7. So one night while I was laying in bed on vacation, I happened to be scrolling through Instagram and came across a post for IdealFit. I’ve seen their products around for a LONG time, and they’ve always sounded good, I just never took the chance to actually bite the bullet and make the purchase. Well, they were having a crazy good sale (and they STILL are…45% OFF!!!), so I went for it.

I haven’t had a chance to try the clear whey protein powder yet, but that really intrigued me. I liked the idea of having something a little lighter, so I’ll be sure to report back once I do! The chocolate brownie protein is SO good. I’ve been mixing it with a little water + chocolate almond milk and it’s delicious. I really need to toss it in the blender and make a smoothie next.

I’m now also totally obsessed with the raspberry lemonade BCAA’s, too. I’d always been curious about BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids), and they’re said to aid with improving muscle recovery and building lean muscle. The flavor is great, and I’ve been drinking that during my workouts. It is pretty sweet, so I just increase the amount of water I use with each scoop to lessen the strength of it. I also snagged a few different samples with my order, so I’m excited to give those a shot soon, too!

If you want to give any of their products a try, they are having 45% OFF sitewide right now AND you can also use my referral code COURTNEY-R1HZ for an extra 20% OFF any order of $40+!!

This year’s trip did look a little different from years past; although it was open, we avoided the boardwalk and the piers with rides, and we kept additional outings to a minimum. But honestly, I really didn’t even miss any of that because we still managed to have a great time.

Most of our days started off with lounging and/or breakfast out on the balcony. Lucas was very much into helping my dad cook breakfast during the week, and they even “opened up B&L’s Cafe” (Bob & Lucas). Pancakes were, by far, their favorite specialty.

We’d make our way down to the beach everyday around 10am or so, and that’s when the day of fun in the sun and sand would begin.

An added bonus for this year’s trip was the fact that our neighbors, John & Tal, and their two kids, also went down with some of their family on the same week, in the same condos.

So our boys had other kids to play with on the beach for the first time, which made SUCH a world of difference for us on the parent front. They were actually able to keep themselves entertained so we could enjoy our time, too!

We’d pack up lunches for the whole crew most days, so when the kids were finally ready to take a break from playing, we’d sit under the tent and relax for a bit.

I’m telling you, those Bentgo Boxes are seriously the BEST. We get so much use out of them, year-round!

After spending a good chunk of the day at the beach, we’d head back to the pool at the condos and swim for a bit before heading back to the room to get showered up and have some dinner. And, occasionally, we’d scoot out for a little after-dinner ice cream down the road.

Jay and I did get out for one “kid-free” dinner with John & Tal at MudHen, which is one of my newly favorite Wildwood spots. We hit them up last year, and you can see from that post just how insanely good the food is! The restaurant had a really excellent setup going, with masks required upon entry/while walking to your table, and both the food and service continued to be amazing, despite many of the additional requirements needed these days.

We had a special treat later on in the week, when two other families from the neighborhood came down to join us for a beach day! They were staying up in Ocean City, NJ for the same week, and we figured that if we could make it work, we should all get together to let the kids play.

Both the kids AND adults had such a great time, and I swear, that day flew by faster than any of ’em.

They’re all awesome, and I just adore these girls. Love ya, Kate, Ash, & Tal! <3

By the end of the week, I could tell that the boys were getting a little “beached out,” so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to switch things up a bit and we drove into nearby Cape May to check out their downtown/shops. In all of the years I’ve been coming to Wildwood, I don’t think I’ve ever visited Cape May. And man, I had really been missing out, because it is such a cute area!

We picked up some fudge from The Original Fudge Kitchen, and I’m not even kidding when I tell you that this is THE BEST fudge I’ve ever tasted. We’ve always gotten our fudge from Douglas Fudge on the boardwalk, but this stuff takes the cake. WOW.

I had also really been craving some Kohr Bros, and knowing that this was likely our last opportunity to grab some, we stopped in for a little pre-lunch treat. Hey, when on vacation, right?

Vanilla & orange twist with allllll the rainbow sprinkles.

We made our way through a few of the different gift shops and snagged some cute shirts for all of us, along with these super cute trucker hats for the boys. I’m obsessed with them. And by them, I mean both the hats AND the kids.

I had many people reach out asking “how things were” while walking around Cape May, and I would say that it was great. I honestly wasn’t concerned about going anyway, but everyone I saw was wearing a mask while inside any of the stores/shops. The majority of people were wearing them outdoors, and some would remove them if they were spaced far enough apart (hence, why we have them in some pictures and not others).

Jay and I said we’d definitely like to go back again without the kids so we could check out more of the shops next time. Those little hands just like to get into anything and everything…

The only other outing we did during the week was for a family dinner at Two Mile Landing. Again, another spot that I cannot believe I’ve never gone to in all of my years of visiting Wildwood. What a great spot! They had tons of outdoor seating, and we were lucky enough to snag a large table under a tent, making it much cooler and less windy.

Also, if you happen to find yourself there, grab a Watermelon Crush. It. Was. Awesome.

The boys loved being out, and it later dawned on me that this was really the first time they’ve actually been out anywhere like a restaurant or public place since, well, March.

Our whole meal was excellent, and the time spent with family both at dinner and at the beach for the week was just incredible. I don’t think I realized just how much I needed this little break and escape from our everyday (at home) routine, but man. It did wonders for my soul.

So, until we meet again, Wildwood!

And, note to self…don’t attempt to get a family picture outside without sunglasses for the whole family. Ha! <3

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Okay, show of hands…who loves getting fun deliveries at their doorstep JUST for them?

**Raises Hand**

In this day and age, I am no stranger to having boxes piled up on my doorstep, and I’d be willing to bet many of you are in the same boat. It seems like almost anything we need can be ordered and delivered…groceries, clothes, household necessities…but sometimes, it can be really fun to have a little something to look forward to that’s just for YOU. And that’s what I recently had the chance to do with FabFitFun!

Have you guys heard of FabFitFun before? I’m sure many of you have, since it’s something I feel like I’ve been seeing on social media for a long time now, but I never really took the time to look further into it. I’m thrilled to be partnering with them for today’s post, so here’s the deal on what FabFitFun is all about…

FabFitFun is a subscription service that offers a wide array of some of the best self-care and wellness products, plus so much more. New boxes are delivered 4 times per year, with each new season, and you can even pick and choose what you want to get.  Some items are curated by their team of experts, while others can be customized based on your own taste and preferences.

Not only that, but I was pleasantly surprised at the value of each box. Each box is valued at over $200, but members pay just $49.99. Some of the items (which I’ll show you in a second!) are worth more than what you pay for the entire box. And even better, but you can use my code SWEETLIFE10 for $10 off your FIRST box! (They’re available in the US, Canada, and UK).

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FabFitFun’s theme for the summer is “You Got This,” which I thought was rather fitting, don’t you think? I know we’ve all probably got some challenges we’re facing right now, both big and/or small, and it’s nice to have that friendly little reminder. It’s so important to be taking care of ourselves, physically, mentally, spiritually…all of it. So while I know there are things right now that I can’t control, I try my best to focus on those that I CAN, like staying active, eating well (with treats too, of course), trying to keep social media to a minimum (easier said than done sometimes), and staying in the moment as much as possible, especially when it comes to family.

I also really enjoyed learning more about their mission and initiatives. Each season, FabFitFun partners with charities and female founded companies, with each box raising awareness for non-profits. They’ve partnered with the Special Olympics this summer, to end the discrimination against and to empower those with intellectual disabilities. <3

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SO, let’s get to the goods! I recently received my first FabFitFun box, which was their Summer Editor’s Box, and I was immediately intrigued by a couple of items, including this reVive Light Therapy Glo Wrinkle and Anti-Aging Light Device.

The multi-wave light device contains Infrared (IR) Light, which is said to help combat signs of aging by stimulating the natural production of collagen and elastin. The Red Light stimulates cellular repair and increases circulation, while the Amber Light reduces the appearance of redness, swelling and inflammation.

To use it, you simply place it on the skin for 3 minutes. Once the light turns off, you move on to the next area and repeat! Easy peasy.

Since receiving my box, I’ve also totally fallen in love with this Human + Kind Body Souffle, and these Rodial Soft Focus Glow Drops.

The souffle has the most amazing scent, with a blend of apricot oil and shea butter, perfectly light for summer! And I’m pretty sure I’ve worn the primer everyday since I got it. You just apply two drops and pat onto a clean, dry face, and you can either use with makeup as an illuminating primer, or on its own to give you more of a dewy complexion.

Obsessed.

Another cool product in this box was this Winky Lux Rainbow Lip Balm, which uses pH matching technology to give your lips a little touch of color.

Here’s my before and after…

I don’t even remember the last time I put anything on my lips other than just straight up, plain lip balm over the past 4+ months, so that was fun to play with!

There were so many awesome products, and I can honestly say that this is a subscription that I would 100% sign up for on my own. The value was incredible, and I love the fact that you can pick some items and have others be a surprise. So if you’re looking for a little excuse to treat yourself a few times a year, I would totally recommend giving FabFitFun a try. Let me know if you do!

Don’t forget, if you want to give FabFitFun a try for yourself, use my code SWEETLIFE10 for $10 off your FIRST box (only $39.99!).