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Happy Friday! This month is flying right on by. A little coffee chat is in order, no? Want to see how random I can get….here we go! This week Zoe had spring pictures and cap and gown pictures. I can’t believe she is graduating preschool and we will be registering her for kindergarten. I am so not ready for this and in complete denial.

Zoe’s Sandals / Dress is from local children’s boutique

I had an eye doctor appointment last week, and my glasses came in. I ordered a pair of regular ones, but also prescription sunglasses. If you have been on the fence about prescription sunglasses before, just do it! They are seriously life changing!!!!

Other than that, I have just been busy working, chauffeuring Zoe around to school, gymnastics and dance. Trying to find shoes that fit that kids foot. I feel like every time we finally have all the different ones she needs for different outfits/occasions….she will wake up one morning and none of them fit. How does this even happen?? Her foot runs a little wide and I have the hardest time with some shoes. Any mommas out there with the same issue? She still has a toddler wide foot, but is in bigger girl sized shoes now. It makes it difficult. If you have any brand suggestions, let me know!

I had lunch with a friend yesterday, it was so good for my soul. Hopefully we can be back to having lunch regularly. It works out that she works in the city I live in, making it super easy to run out for a little while in the middle of the day. I think we are going to try to go shopping next week for lunch! Making time for girls lunch and dates with your husband are important!

Have you ever heard of color analysis? You consider different things about yourself, like you eyes, skin tone, hair color, etc and find the right color palette that suits your coloring best. I am always fascinated by stuff like this. I truly feel that if you are wearing the right colors that make you happy and feel good on the outside, you feel better and are more confident on the inside too. Anyways, I did a deep dive into all of this a few weeks ago and I really enjoyed a few sources out there that offer free advice. Getting professionally analyzed costs mega bucks I wasn’t willing to throw down. This is as easy as uploading a photo and grabbing swatches from your skin, hair and eyes. Based on this, I am a cool summer.

Let me know if you take the quiz and what palette you are.

I also really liked the spring/summer capsule wardrobe that Erin Busbee put out. Do you look at capsule wardrobes to get inspiration for your own? I actually have a few similar pieces in this collection. I am not the person who could live off a capsule wardrobe, but I like the idea of them. At least having pieces that are effortlessly mix and match.

Favorite Finds: These slides are on my wish list for spring/summer in gold. I have had my eye on them for awhile, and they were actually part of the capsule collection I shared above too.

I have had it on my heart for awhile to sit with God in the mornings. I found this devotional and it has really been speaking to me. Just taking that quiet time in the mornings has been helping to quiet my mind and prepare me for the day.

This neck cream & chest cream has been a win. It is very affordable (under $10) and hasn’t caused my skin to break out, rash or act weird. Neck creams can be very temperamental for whatever reason.

Favorite Recipe: I am once again in a meal planning funk. Why is it so exhausting to come up with breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family for the week, every week??? I start getting stuck in a rut, or nothing sounds good, items being out of stock at the grocery store, the sheer amount we have to spend at the grocery store. It is all too much sometimes, you know? Anyways. I pinned a bunch of new shit in hopes that I will be inspired. This pad thai chicken recipe looks good.

Favorite Workout: Wooooo this leg day I felt for two days after. You know you worked hard when that happens! Admittedly, I haven’t kept up with the 12 weeks, but I have chosen several days from the plan to incorporate into my week. I usually work out Monday-Friday and take Saturday and Sunday to rest.

Favorite Funnies:

Linking up for Friday Favorites!!! It is a rainy one here today, but looks like the weekend will be nice. Hopefully we can get in a playdate tomorrow with friends and find some other fun to get up to. I hope you all have a great weekend!

Happy Friday! We had such a beautiful weekend last week. Sunny, in the 70s, a slight wind at times. Zoe had a playdate with one of her friends and they played so well together. Outside in the bounce house most of the time. Tonight, we have a winter weather advisory and it might snow. Gotta love the south in that weird transition from winter to spring, right?

Zoe had observation at dance last night and we got to try on their recital costumes. The girls looked so cute! It is crazy to see pictures of them from their first observation night three years ago versus now. She will get a trophy at the recital for the first time this year, and I cant wait to see her accept it!

I got my hair cut and colored yesterday. Nothing will make you feel more able to take on the world than a fresh hair cut, am I right?

Favorite Finds: I heard a podcaster talking about CJLA and that they offered some American made clothing. Great, affordable pieces that were classic and wardrobe staples. I decided to check them out and I cannot get enough! I ordered a dress from them, and then another immediately after and have a friend turned onto them too. I have struggled so much lately with finding things I like in stores, and now I feel I have a great go-to. I follow them on Instagram and they are really helpful sharing try-ons with different body types and if you ask them questions in their DMs, they are very responsive. They have new launches and collections all the time. Can’t wait to see their next one! I am waiting on my Rocco dress to get here.

I saw this blazer at Walmart and it gets great reviews. It is the perfect dupe for the much more expensive designer one that I have had my eyes on for quite awhile. It comes in several colors and I really love the navy, royal blue and white as well. It seems to be selling out in certain colors really fast, so definitely don’t sleep on this.

I got a Josie Maran body butter in my FabFitFun box last month and I LOVE it. Definitely my new favorite body butter. I have been switching over most of my products to cleaner options (I am not perfect) and the most important to me are the ones I slather everywhere. Synthetic fragrances are truly awful for you, and this doesn’t have any. It leaves me skin so soft for hours. There are several scents to chose from. I got the citrus one and my box and I like it, I really want to try the Vanilla Fig next.

Favorite Recipe: This chicken piccata recipe has been a staple in our house for awhile. Even Zoe will eat it. It comes together in under 30 minutes and is perfect for weeknights. Definitely don’t skip the fresh lemon zest.

Favorite Funnies:

Annnnnnnd because I was reminded yesterday that the time change is this weekend. Lord help us.

Linking up for Friday Favorites. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Tanya for our Amazon finds. Not a very exciting Amazon month over here, but definitely some staples.

EO Body Wash

I grabbed this body wash to try, I wanted something that didn’t have synthetic fragrance and cleaner ingredients. The scent reminds me of a more natural smelling Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy one I used to get a long time ago. It is so refreshing first thing in the morning.

Mrs Meyers Room Spray

This scent smells so sophisticated and expensive. It is hard to describe. Just trust me on this one and try it out. It freshens up your house instantly, great for that panic when you find out you have a guest coming over! As sad as I am to say this, I try not to burn candles often. I know they aren’t good for you, and I only do it when we have company or for ambiance when I am stressed from time to time. I tend to lean more towards sprays and mostly diffusers.

Affresh

No description needed, right?

Dryer Vent Cleaner

Lindsay had shared this awhile back and I have to admit…I have never cleaned mine more than just grabbing whatever the lint trap catches after each load. Game changer. It is on sale right now too!

Hemp Seeds

When I cancelled my Thrive Market membership, I realized there were several products I needed to find a replacement for. I cannot find Hemp seeds at any local grocery store. Sometimes you can get them at HomeGoods but I have struck out the last few times I have checked. So glad Amazon has them at a decent price. These are the BEST way to add some protein and nutrition to your yogurt, acai bowl, baked goods, etc.

Breathable Mask

If you are looking to comply, but still want to breathe….these masks are great. I am ready for Zoe’s gymnastics gym to drop this mandate for parents and coaches. It is the only place that requires it locally besides the doctor’s office.

Honest Lotion

Grabbed this for Zoe. I love using this or Tubby Todd on her to clear up any eczema or rough patches, but this is easier for everyday. The scent reminds me of when she was younger when we used this shampoo.

Happy Friday! This week went by pretty fast. Last Sunday we tried a new place to us, Artic Rush. They have several flavors of shaved ice, and other things like funnel cakes and fried oreos. I ordered a blue raspberry and it was the best shaved ice I have ever had. No joke. We will definitely be back!

For those who are local, Artic Rush is located in Center Point, closer to the Clay side. It is a little green shack, and you can either walk up to the front window or drive thru on the side.

Zoe and I put out our Easter decor this past weekend too! It is my second favorite holiday to decorate for. I know we are still two months out, but I love to see all the pretty holiday stuff for as long as possible. Here are a few places around the house. I did our fireplace and a few spots in the kitchen as well, but didn’t take any photos.

Favorite Finds: I love grabbing Zoe several pieces from H&M each season. They are affordable, super cute, and I find that she is usually one of the only girls in her class with items from there. I ordered her several dresses to put in her Easter basket and they came in this week. How cute are these?

She has Sneetches Day next week, so this yellow dress with the stars is going to be perfect! I am giving her that one early. The rest are saved for Easter.

While I was ordering items, I grabbed this bubble vase that I have had my eye on for quite some time. I love bubble and hobnail stuff. I am quite impressed with their home items. Definitely recommend checking them out if you are looking for something.

How gorgeous is this lip oil??? I chose it as part of my FabFitFun Box for Spring 2022 and I was shocked with how pretty it was in the bottle. It goes on so smooth and is super hydrating. It is wet/glossy but not sticky.

Here is the rest of my FabFitFun Box. If you are interested in ordering a box, you can use my link and save $10 off your first one.

Favorite Recipe: Zoe and I have been making these breakfast cookies weekly and they are so good! We eat them for breakfast or a snack, and keep them in the fridge. They taste good warm or cold!

Favorite Funnies:

Linking up for Friday Favorites. I hope you have a great week!

Coming in hot with my book reviews for February. For a short month, I was able to squeeze in quite a few. My favorites for the month were The Golden Couple, Ugly Love and The Bodyguard. The rest are still worth checking out.

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

This one grabbed me right away. The story alternates from Avery and Marissa’s POV. Usually with thrillers like this, I tend to not like most if not all the characters. I thought I was going to feel the same way about this one, but I ended up liking most of the characters in the book. There is a big twist to this one, but I sort of figured it out early on. It didn’t take anything away from the ride to get there. And what a wild ride that was!!! It is hard to know who to trust. This might be one of my favorite thrillers I have read recently. I know the book was supposed to be about Marissa and Matthew, but I honestly felt like Avery’s back story and just the way she runs her business was much more fascinating.

Bottom Line: Read it!

**I received a copy of The Golden Couple from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Sixth Wedding by Elin Hilderbrand

I really enjoyed 28 Summers, so I was excited to reunite with these characters for this short story! Love how Hilderbrand had a summary of 2023 before the start of the book….just like she did for each year in the first book. It was honestly one of my favorite parts of the first book and it was so fun to have a future one. The book itself went by so fast, less than 100 pages. But it was full of moments for each of the characters and I truly enjoyed it. I am not sure how I felt about the very end? I am still processing. Let me know your thoughts if you read it! I wish it was longer, I could keep going with these characters!!!

Bottom Line: Read it! But after 28 Summers, of course!

We Met In December by Rosie Curtis

Even though this has a Christmas-y cover, the book is not very Christmas-y at all. It is just Christmas at the beginning and end of the book. I enjoyed the story and all the characters, but it was a little flat through the whole story. I feel like it was a bit all over the place, there were time jumps with each chapter. There was a lot of focus around all the side characters in the book, not a main focus on Alex and Jess. The ending happens so quickly, and then the book is over. I wish there was more of the end.

Bottom Line: Cute read, but one of those that I will probably forget about quickly.

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

I listened to this one on audio. I enjoyed the narration from both narrators, Cooper’s narrator a little more. I think I said “Damn!” out loud a few times. Definitely held my attention. I really enjoyed Mackenzie’s character. She was a strong female lead who really knew what she wanted. While the book started off a little juvenile in the nature of why Cooper started to pursue Mac, I really enjoyed it. I really thought I was going to quit after the first chapter or two though, because I felt like this book wasn’t for me. I tend to give audiobooks a little more give than an ebook physical book though, so I stuck with it since I was multitasking. I am glad I did. I liked most of the side characters and all the banter. I kept in mind that these were young adults in their 20s, so not all their decisions are the best. I think we were all a mess and doing stupid things in our early 20s, weren’t we?

Bottom Line: I enjoyed this one, but there were a few things in the plot I didn’t love. If you don’t want any spoilers, don’t read any more of this.

SPOILERS: I don’t usually like books that have cheating. Especially in this situation where two characters were cheating, and then one ends up with their side piece the day they broke up with their significant other. Its tacky and messy. But since there was deception and other things going on all around in this book, it works. One other thing I didn’t like was that Cooper has all his friends playing along and lying to Mac. No one deserves that, no matter how they feel about the “clones.”

**I received a copy of Good Girl Complex from NETGALLEY in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover has become a must read for me over the last few years, but there are several of her older books I haven’t read yet. I really enjoyed this one, but the writing style bothered me in parts.

I.

Don’t.

Like.

Reading.

Like.

This.

However, I was so invested in the storyline and wanting to figure out what happened to Miles in the past that made him the way he is now, that I let that slide. Rachel and Miles were both a little immature, but they were in their early 20s and it was exactly how I was in relationships then. I was hooked on this one and couldn’t put it down. I liked how most of the book was in Tate’s present POV, alternating with Chapters from Mile’s past. I also really liked Cap.

Bottom Line: Read it!

The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one. I thought it was going to be more of a thriller, but it is not. To be honest, I was rather bored and had a hard time getting into this one. There is a lot of ballet terminology and you really get a deep look into the world of professional ballerinas. I felt like the author did understand the atmosphere and got that across. The book did start to pick up a lot about half or three quarters of the way through. Delphine is rather unlikeable. She is definitely a narcissist and hard to root for. All the girls are, really. I did start to connect with them a little more in the last quarter of the book. When you find out what they did to Lindsay, you are just like…really???? And that is why this is not a thriller. Not even a little.

Bottom Line: Overall, I did enjoy the second half of the book and would consider it a solid read.

**I received a copy of The Ballerinas from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

This comes out July 19, 2022

Katherine Center is a must read for me. I loved this one so much. It was such a unique storyline with the protection agent and movie star. Some heavier topics are dealt with, and even though it was completely predictable, I just really enjoyed the ride. I loved Jack’s family so much. I would love to see a book about his brother. This could totally be made into a movie and I would be there for it.

Bottom Line: Read it!!!

**I received a copy of The Bodyguard from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

This book is a very slow burn, but once you get past the first part of it….you start to really just want answers to your questions and you start flying through it. Everything unfolds in the POV of three different characters. I started this book on a close deadline for book club, so I was trying to get through it quickly…and I really didn’t understand the Greenwich Park inserts for awhile. Even though I figured out the “bad guy” from the beginning, I quite enjoyed the ride to get there in the second half. I liked how it all unfolded in the end.

Bottom Line: Read it.