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Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2015. Show all posts

Friday, March 20, 2015

Friday Favorites | Weekend Activities Edition



For anyone that works in the hospitality industry, you will know that our "weekends" are typically days during the week. A couple of months ago my role at work changed [for the better] and my typical days off are now Sunday and Monday. Check out some of my favorite weekend activities below as I link-up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for another edition of Friday Favorites!




Spending time with Jonathan | For many people, spending time with your husband or significant other is a given on your weekend. For Jonathan and I this is the first time in our relationship that we regularly have a day off together - and we are making the most of our Sunday's!

Since we have only had a day off together for a few month, we are still finding our routine and exploring all of the fun things we can find around Fort Lauderdale. We have made our way to Bimini Boatyard for quite a few brunches - but recently found this list of best brunches in Fort Lauderdale and think we are going to try to make it to all of them in the upcoming months!

We also like to head out to the golf course, and play a round. While I have my own golf clubs and have taken a few lessons, I am definitely not ready to play a round of golf with Jonathan. Instead, I ride along and only putt. We have challenges regarding putting and I have already won a pair of golf shoes! [I still need to pick them out - recommendations are greatly appreciated] When we head out next time I am also going to start chipping... I am working my way backwards towards playing a full hole!

Jonathan and I LOVE watching movies - we watch them on Netflix, on TV, or in the theatres. We will watch anything that is recommended to us, or that we randomly stumble upon. I tend to like movies that are based on real events, or involve sports while Jonathan loves comedies. Most Sundays end with dinner and a movie. We typically make dinner at home and watch the movie in bed, but occasionally we will head out for a bite to eat and watch a movie that is in the theatre.




Fun in the Sun | Living in Fort Lauderdale where the average temperature is around 75 degrees, I am lucky enough to live somewhere that has nice weather year round. When I was younger and lived in Ohio I always thought I would spend so much time outside if I lived in a place like this, but the reality is that I feel like I don't spend enough time outside. I am making it a point to do more outdoor activities and have found some fun things to do on my days off.

In addition to golfing, Jonathan and I love to play a round or two of putt-putt or head to the beach for a walk. I do not care for laying out at the beach as I am NOT a fan of the sand, or ocean, or crowds of people but I do enjoy walking on the beach. I especially love walking on the beach in Hilton Head, South Carolina because you don't sink into the sand when you walk the beach!

When I have days off on my own, or with some of my girl friends I will spend the day laying out at my pool. I enjoy reading a book, sometimes having a drink, and getting a tan. I can only do it for a couple of hours but it is nice to feel the sun on your face and get a little color.

I also enjoy working out with my trainer outside. We have a nice covered area at my pool where we do most of our workouts. It provides shade from the sun, and a little breeze and is never being used. Working out in my pool area also allows us to have an aqua fitness class when it is a hot day, which is a great way to spend my day off!




Reading | I know a ton of people that never read books, and I cannot understand it. In the 5 years that I have lived with Jonathan he has not read a whole book. He may start a book, read a few pages, or skim through it but doesn't enjoy reading books. If I don't have too busy of a day off, or if I am spending it at the pool I will sometimes read an entire book. In the past 2 weeks I have read 6 books. I likely would have read more, but I ran out of books to read and need to pick up some more. I have thought about writing a post on the books I have read lately, but there were only a few that I would recommend so I want to get through a few more before doing so.

I am planning on going to my local library next week, to pick up a few more books to read. If you have any recommendations, let me know!




Shopping | I could go shopping every day of the week, and never buy anything. I love looking for good deals or spending time finding exactly what I am looking for [as long as I don't need it immediately]. I am one of those people that starts holiday shopping months before I need to - because I want to find a good deal and find things that my family and friends will truly enjoy. I have already bought a few Mother's Day gifts and only have one left to buy!

I also enjoy slowly decorating the rooms in my house. I am never done decorating, and always have a project or two going on. I am about to start decorating my guest room - I want new bedding, lamp shades, and artwork for the room. I haven't decided what it will look like but I know if I look long enough I will find something I love. Jillian's room is also a work in progress. When she was born we didn't have much in the room since we were only 21 weeks along. Since then I have slowly worked on her room, refinishing a dresser, hanging her pictures, and building a storage solution in her closet.

While the list is endless as to the places I like to shop, I do have my favorites and go-to places. Sawgrass Mills has most every store I like to shop in - and you can always find good deals if you are willing to spend time walking around. The mall is huge, but I know where my favorites are and can make my way around there pretty quickly. If I am looking for home and décor items I typically head to HomeGoods, Pottery Barn, Target, and Ikea.




Nothing | While we typically spend our weekend days doing something, there are days when I truly like to do nothing. The days where you stay in your pajamas, browse Pinterest / Instagram / Facebook, watch TV, and lay around. At the end of the day you don't know where the time went and realize you were not really productive all day. Being type A, it is truly rare that I have a day like this - but once every 4-6 months I really do enjoy a day of truly doing nothing.

Let me know if you have an good ideas of things to do on the weekends. We are always looking for something new to try!

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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Tuesday Thoughts | Planners

I am thinking about blogging about random thoughts on Tuesday. I think it could be fun to discuss a different topic each week, and my first topic is going to be Planners!

For the past couple of years I have been using the Lilly Pulitzer Planner, which seem to be sold out everywhere online. My planner is the "large" size and seems to work for me.


I like that the planner offers both a monthly view, and also a weekly view which has a good amount of space for writing in each day. I do however think that I do not use it to the fullest and am considering a different planner option for next year.


Right now, I put the big things on the monthly view - birthdays, vacations, Dr. Appointments, etc. Some of these items go on the days in the weekly view, but I try to use that for more specific daily appointments and commitments. There are weeks when I am really good about using my planner, but I find that I use outlook and my phone calendar a lot too.


It is my goal to get everything down in my planner in the upcoming months. I not only want to do this to ensure that I don't forget anything important, but I think it would be a great way to look back on the days, months, and year to see what we had going on. It will also help me to keep my blog ideas written down, and hopefully ensure that I am blogging 3-4 times a week.


One thing that I am SURE will not change is my choice of pens that I use in my planner. I love my Staedtler | triplus finelinerpens, which come in so many awesome colors. They write with a fine ink line, and I feel that they never smudge. I have had these for 2 years and have yet to replace them for any reason!


Unfortunately, I am only aware of a few different planners that I think may be what I am looking for. Through different bloggers opinions that I have read online, and a few blogs that I read I am considering one of these two options:

The Simplified Planner by Emily Ley
Life Planners by Erin Condren

If you know of any other options that I should take a look at let me know! I'd love to hear your opinion.

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Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Wednesday Weekly Recap

Happy Wednesday to all! I hope that you all had a great week. Mine was filled with a visit from family, and I am ready to relax this week!

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

 

I somehow didn't take any pictures on Wednesday. I picked up my dad and Ann from the airport, we headed down to the beach and had brunch. In the afternoon my dad and Jonathan played golf while Ann and I went shopping. After shopping we headed up to my Aunt's house for a cook-out with the whole family. 

Thursday, February 19, 2015




Thursday was the first of a couple really cold days in South Florida. While for many having a low of 39 degrees in the winter doesn't seem like much, for us in Fort Lauderdale that is basically freezing. We used our heat for the first time since living in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday evening. 

Friday, February 20, 2015

 


I chose to give up alcohol for Lent this year. Of course, on Friday as I was picking up a few items from Publix, I found 2 bottles of Apothic Dark. For those of you that don't know, it is a seasonal dark red blend and I am OBSESSED. I have not been able to find any bottles for a few weeks, but I am looking forward to having a glass (or bottle) after Lent is over!!


Saturday, February 21, 2015

 


Saturday I had to work, so Dad and Jonathan went golfing with my Uncle John while Ann and my Aunt Diane hung out at the pool. After work I met Jonathan, Dad and Ann at our house and we hung out for a couple of hours before heading to dinner at Zinburger. After dinner we headed home and stayed up until 1 or so playing Phase 10!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

 



Sunday we headed to brunch at Bimini Boatyard and then to Duffy's to watch Ohio State in a terrible  basketball game against that team up North. Brunch was a ton of fun, but the game not so much. During the game I walked over to TJ Maxx but was disappointed I didn't find anything I loved.


We spent the rest of the afternoon in the hotel room watching golf and relaxing. We then headed to dinner at Casabla Cafe, and the scallops there are TO DIE FOR!

Monday, February 23, 2015

 


I spent Monday relaxing at the beach with the family, before they had to fly back to Ohio that afternoon. Even though this photo makes the beach look peaceful and empty, it was really loud and crowded - typical Fort Lauderdale.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015



Heading into work yesterday I saw this beautiful sunrise, and wanted to capture it in a picture. The picture doesn't begin to show how perfect the sun was, but it definitely made me happy even though I was heading into work at 6:30am. After work I went to hang out with my family one more time before they all head back to Ohio today. We had pizza and chatted - it was a great time!

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Friday, February 20, 2015

Friday Favorites - Favorite Stores Edition


I am linking-up with Andrea, Erika, and Narci for another edition of Friday Favorites! This week I'm going to focus on some of favorite places to shop, and items that are in stores now and I love!

J. Crew Factory Store


 
I live about two miles from Sawgrass Mills Outlet Mall and it makes it very hard for me to not shop at the outlet stores. I love all things J. Crew and have found great deals and really cute things from the J. Crew Factory Store, which you can also shop online! I swear by the Gigi and Winnie pants, and you can't go wrong with any blouse or top that they offer. If you haven't already signed up for their emails, make sure to do so to receive great deals and to get a heads up when there will be sales taking place.

Lilly Pulitzer



I absolutely love Lilly, the prints, bright colors, styles, and the fit. I own more elsa blouses and callahan shorts than I would like to admit and I love every dress I have ever purchased. My sister-in-law used to work for Lilly and I still get the email updates from her old store. They are having their 1-year Anniversary sale this weekend, offering exclusive gifts and an additional 30% off of clearance items. If you are interested, give ladies at Palm Village a call or stop by one of their locations! [Asheville, NC | Knoxville, TN | Mandeville, LA]

Francesca's

 

I first started shopping at francesca's when I lived in Columbus, Ohio. In moving to college there were not any close by, but I have been lucky to have one near every other place I have lived. Not only do I find cute clothes and accessories every time I step foot in the store, they have all kinds of cute home and gift items too!

Nordstrom


It is a lot harder to narrow down my favorite items that are at Nordstrom right now. I could walk into any department in the store and find something that I want to walk out with.

Thanks for stopping by for today's link-up and my favorite stores! Take a minute to look around or leave a message! I'd love to hear from you.

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Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Wednesday Weekly Recap

Happy Wednesday to all! I am back after a very busy week with very little blogging... I know I have planned to blog at least 3 times a week, so let's see if that can happen this week! Enjoy the recap of the past week - full of lots of pictures!

Wednesday, February 11, 2015


When we announced to everyone on Facebook that we were pregnant with Jillian, the video was set to this song. We now refer to it as Jillian's song, and I have it set as a favorite in the jeep. Some days I cry, some days I smile but I always think of my baby girl when I hear this song. It was on the radio right when I got in the car Wednesday morning. It was just what I needed on my 10th day of work in a row before a long weekend. I love the times I can bring Jillian into everyday life even though she is no longer with us.

Thursday, February 12, 2015




On Thursday morning we were up early to catch a direct flight from Miami, Florida --> Norfolk, Virginia. We were heading to Virginia for a wedding and looking forward to spending time visiting with friends. We were NOT looking forward to the very cold weather that we would face all weekend.


We spent time at Jonathan's parents house when we first arrived in town. Jonathan spent time with Sonny before hitting the golfing range with his dad, Bruce. Sharon and I went shopping and ran a few errands. By late afternoon it was SNOWING and we were making plans with friends.



We decided to go to Buffalo Wild Wings with Alisa and Chris, Zach and Emily before having to pick-up Bridget from the airport. We had a great time hanging out and it was so nice to catch up with everyone. Bridget's flight was cancelled, and we decided to head back to Jonathan's parents, drink some wine and head to bed. It was a great first day of "vacation."

Friday, February 13, 2015



Friday was our 19th Monthaversary - a monthly "holiday" that we celebrate with a photo on instagram and a card for Jonathan. I am not sure how long we will be celebrating these monthly holidays, but I really enjoy remembering our wedding day and how much has happened since that day.


Friday morning/afternoon I worked with the "moms" to put on a bridal luncheon for Ashlea. Her wedding was the reason why I was in town, and I helped with the flower arrangements and food prep/service. Everything was beautiful, but my phone died so I didn't get any other pictures during the event.



After the luncheon I got my nails done, and then met up with Jonathan. He was busy all day at Dave and Buster's with the groomsmen. I was so happy to meet baby Hunter on Friday, while having dinner with his parents, David and Katie. After dinner we went to O'Connor's Brewing Co. to meet up with Zach, Melissa and Jesse before heading to Downtown Portsmouth. It was soooo much fun, but definitely made for a tiring night.  

Saturday, February 14, 2015




Saturday morning I had my hair curled for the wedding by Amy at Change's while Jonathan got a hot lather shave from his cousin Allison at Jake's Place. Then we went to lunch at Doumar's - which was awesome! Bacon Grilled Cheese and Butter Pecan Ice Cream is the way to my stomach (and heart on Valentine's day)!



Saturday evening we were happy to attend Kyle and Ashlea's wedding in Suffolk. They had a beautiful wedding ceremony at The First Lady of Suffolk followed by an awesome reception at The Hilton Garden Inn. 

Sunday, February 15, 2015

 



On Sunday we had to fly back home - and were definitely ready for the warm Florida weather! Unfortunately one part of our flight was cancelled, and we were going to have to rent a car to drive from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale. Things worked in our favor during an oversold flight situation - we were each given flight and mean vouchers, and booked on a later flight to Miami. We had beers in the air while waiting to board and were able to arrange for Madeline to pick us up in Miami! Thanks Madeline!!

Monday, February 16, 2015



While we were in Virginia we had to board Noodle at Barker's Pet Center. Since he was there over Valentine's Day they helped him to make us a Valentine. Even though I was sick yesterday and could not go to work, it was nice to be home cuddling with Noodle Bug.  

Tuesday, February 17, 2015




On September 30, 2014 I gave up drinking Diet Coke (and all pop). While I LOVE it, I know how bad pop is for you. In the 140 days since I gave it up, I have only had 4 Diet Cokes - about 1 a month. I'd say I am doing well, but Jonathan brought some home and they are very tempting...


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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Wednesday Weekly Recap

Happy Wednesday to all! Enjoy the recap of the past week!

Wednesday, February 4, 2015



After dinner on Tuesday I had leftover steak. I didn't have enough to make it our dinner, but I wanted to make sure it didn't go to waste and decided I'd make nachos. They turned out to be perfect, and were a great dinner option!

Thursday, February 5, 2015




Every day, at least twice I take Noodle for a walk. We typically walk in the same route but today he wanted to wander around the neighborhood, crossing the street 2-3 times during our walk. He was really cute, turning back before changing his normal route. I had to stop and take his picture!

 

Friday, February 6, 2015



Friday when I got home from work I did 5 loads of laundry. If you asked me 5 years ago if this is how I would spend a Friday night I would likely have said no... but it does make me very happy when I get into a freshly made bed at the end of the day!

 

Saturday, February 7, 2015



On Saturday night we had our first of many Family Game Nights. My Aunt Carol hosted this first Game night.We played Apples to Apples and had so much fun. Everyone brought over an appetizer, and drinks. I was the winner of the night... of course. :) I can't wait for our next game night because Jonathan and I are going to be the hosts! I would love suggestions for games that can be played with 8-10 people!

Sunday, February 8, 2015

 


This week my days off changed since I will be in Virginia for a weeding this weekend. Heading into work on Sunday the sun was beautiful, and I had to take a picture! The only thing I miss about working on Sunday is the minimal traffic... but I would much rather be hanging out with Jonathan for the day!

Monday, February 9, 2015

 


I have continued to work-out twice a week with a trainer... and lately we work-out under a covered area at the pool in my community. It is the perfect area to set-up our workout stations. Today we focused a lot on squats, arms, and core. It was a tough workout and I am sure I will be feeling it in a few days.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015



Jonathan set-up a projection screen and projector in Jillian's room so that we can watch movies. While this screen doesn't fully show how big it is, the screen takes up a whole wall in her room. It was awesome to lay out pillows and blankets and watch a movie. We started watching Perfume: The story of a Murderer, but I fell asleep about an hour into it. I'll have to let you know what I think after I watch the whole movie!

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Friday, February 6, 2015

Friday Favorites - Every Day Things Edition


I am linking-up with Andrea - Momfessionals, Erika - A Little Bit of Everything Blog, and Narci - Grace and Love Blog for another edition of Friday Favorites! This week I'm going to focus on some of favorite every day things!

via
The full volume John Frieda hair dryer is the BEST hair dryer I have ever found. A few years ago I asked for a new hair dryer for Christmas, and I didn't ask for any one in particular. My now sister-in-law randomly picked this one, and I don't know what I ever did without it. This hair dryer has cut my hair drying time in half, and I truly appreciate those additional15 minutes of sleep every morning. This hair dryer is so good, that I know 3 people that have bought it after I recommended it!
gold | silver
I wear a Michael Kors Watch every day, or at least on the days that I wear a watch. Right now I have older versions of these two watches. I was given my silver watch for Christmas in 2011 and the gold watch for Christmas 2012. My next watch that I want to get is a Rose Gold option, but I haven't picked out which one yet!
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I know that for most people, a card game would not be something that most people would use daily... but lately Jonathan and I are obsessed with this game, and play it regularly. We are even keeping track of our scores, and eventually someone ( I ) will win!
mega plush | the falsies
For as long as I can remember, I have always used 2 different mascaras. I have tried endless combinations, everything from expensive to inexpensive brands. I have found that Maybelline Mascara is my favorite. I do not have a specific type, but right now these are the two that I am wearing. I first put on one layer of The Falsies and let it dry, followed by one layer of The Mega Plush and let it dry.
Jillian Harper Foster
Saving the best for last, my favorite everyday thing - is Jillian Harper. I spend time looking at photos of my baby girl, talking about her, and spending time in her room. Unlike many moms, my baby is in heaven. I can only think of the short time I had with her, and I do this every day to make sure that she is always a part of our life!


Thank you all for stopping by - see you next Friday for another edition of Favorite Things!

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