My Running Tips & Tricks
I’ve been sharing a lot of screenshots of my runs lately and have loved messaging a bunch of you about running and your journeys with it. I thought it would be fun to share some of my personal running tips & tricks that you can test out whether you are new to running or have been doing so for years. There’s also a fun Q&A at the end of the post so thank you for all the questions y’all sent in! I picked the top 5 to answer and think it’s a fun variety of questions.
Recipe: French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese
A couple of weeks ago I shared some BTS on my stories of this french onion soup mac & cheese I was making and I received so many messages from y’all asking for the recipe. This has easily become an entire family favorite at all times throughout the year, for holidays, birthdays and beyond. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser and a perfect meal to make for the family right now during quarantine. The sweetness of the slowly caramelized onions, the meatiness from the beef stock, the cheesiness from oodles of melty goodness and the cozy factor of homemade mac & cheese will leave your taste buds (and stomach) oh so happy!
My Spring Running Must-Haves with Feetures Socks
Running is one of those pastimes that I’ve truly always enjoyed. From playing outside as a kid, to playing soccer, running track and just loving the freedom of my feet hitting the pavement and letting my mind wander free. I get this rush and sense of calm from running that’s almost hard to put into words. I don’t know about you but I’m very particular about what I wear when I go running, from the sneakers to the type of shorts and everything in between…even my socks. I’ve been wearing Feetures socks for well over 5 years now and cannot see myself wearing anything else. With that, I’m excited to be partnering with Feetures to share with you all of my spring running must-haves.
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Virtual book club is here! I am thrilled that y’all are as excited about this as I am. Given the uncertainty we are all facing daily and the stay at home orders in many states now more than ever is a time for us to come together and support each other. The social distancing aspect we are all experiencing was a big motivator behind this virtual book club. Finding ways to still be social while practicing social distancing is something we are all working on. Coming together at a time like this to escape reality for just a moment with a good book is something I’m all for!
As I enter week 6 of quarantine and social distancing, I’ve created quite the morning routine that leaves me feeling equal parts refreshed and successful. This temporary “normal” we are experiencing has shifted all of our routines and something none of us could have predicted. It brings about a lot of emotions and I don’t know about you, but my emotions are like the craziest roller coaster you’ve ever been on each day. Creating some sense of routine to start my day has truly helped me ease into my days a little more cool, calm and collected.
A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away! Well, if only that was how it goes. I’ve been on a serious smoothie kick since summer and I don’t hate it one bit. My recent concoction is inspired by one of my go-to’s from Island Smoothie, a favorite place of mine in OBX. It’s packed with protein, healthy fats + antioxidants, and the flavor profile resembles that of a blueberry pie.
The first Target Haul of 2020 is here! I truly love putting together these hauls. They were some of the top blog posts of 2019 so it was a no brainer that the series was going to continue in 2020. I recently went to Target in search of some spring workwear pieces and was extremely impressed with all of the options! Even though we are still in the heart of winter, seeing all of the pastel colors, floral patterns and lighter fabrics made me so excited for the warmer weather to come along. There’s a little something for everyone in this Target haul, from a $12 statement tee to the most versatile sweater dress and pops of spring patterns.
If there is one thing about winter that I am not a fan of, it’s how dry everything gets. From the air to my skin, it seems like everything is just screaming for some moisture. Since being out in Denver, I have noticed what a difference the dry mountain air has made to my hair. Thankfully in just a few short months I’ve discovered the best of the best products and created a hair care routine that leaves my hair smooth, healthy and shiny even in the depths of winter!
One of my main goals in 2020 is to read more books. It has always been something I truly enjoy that I forget about, often being replaced by “Netflix and chill” or the endless social scroll. Since focusing on a sleep hygiene routine, I have found that reading before bed has made such a difference in my sleep! Not only does it give my eyes and mind a break from the ever-bright light from my phone screen, but it lets my mind wind down while getting lost in a good book. With this, I’ve set a personal goal to read as many books as I possibly can this year and created a FREE PDF DOWNLOAD of 100 books to read in 2020!
This topic has been one I’ve wanted to write about for quite some time now and something I’ve really valued more and more recently. In the world of personal finances, so many times the topics of discussion are don’t spend money, cut these things to save, how to be a better saver, and so on. These are all highly important topics but there is also the reality that we all spend money and we all need to treat ourselves from time to time. Today for Money Monday, we’re taking a look at the difference between and finding balance between spending vs investing on yourself. Both are forms of spending money but one has a bit more depth and meaning to it.
Over the past couple of years, skincare has become one of my top priorities and something I truly enjoy learning more about. After much trial and error, I’ve truly found a skincare routine that works best for me and my skin. I shared my summer skincare routine back in early August and now that the winter months are in full effect, I’ve changed things up a little and added in some products to help keep my skin as clear and hydrated as possible. Since being in Denver, these small changes have done wonders with keeping my skin super hydrated with the dry mountain air.
If there is one thing I’ve always loved and cannot get enough of it is planners and notebooks and office supplies. Don’t get me wrong, as much as I love physically writing things down, the ease of technology is also a huge organization life saver. From Google Calendar and Google Docs, to Planoly and beyond, incorporating tech and automation in 2020 is going to be a priority. Last January I shared how I was staying organized in 2019 and it was one of the most popular posts y’all read! Pair that with my love for organization and I knew a 2020 post on organization for the year had to be done.
Money Monday and my mini series on how to detox your life in the New Year collide today as we take a look at detoxing your personal finances. The beginning of the year is a great time to re-evaluate your expenses, budget, income and beyond in order to set yourself up for financial success this year. I’ve put together 6 simple steps that you can easily implement whether you are a budgeting vet or newbie that will help get your personal finances in tip top shape!
It has been quite some time since I shared an outfit post styling one item multiple ways. The moment I purchased this pleated midi skirt from H&M, I knew it was time to bring those posts back! As I’ve said before, finding multiple ways to wear a single item in my wardrobe has become one of my favorite things. It truly has cut down on the amount of clothes I buy and it’s sort of a fun game to shop your wardrobe to style something in different ways. This pleated midi skirt checked all of the boxes!
I’ve never created such a clickbait blog post title before in my life but I just couldn’t help myself with this one! These past few months have been such an incredibly journey from so many different levels and angles. I have grown in more ways than I can count - personally, professional and mentally. I have learned more about myself and what is important to me in all aspects of life, and how I can shape a future that is near and dear to my heart. Most of all, I’ve discovered just how strong I truly am. Like, WHOA! And with that I’m going to drag the announcement out for a bit to build up even more suspense…sorry not sorry! So let’s get to it!
To many people, working from home sounds like the greatest thing since sliced bread. While it certainly has its perks, it can become challenging to stay focused and productive outside of an office environment. With that, here are my top 10 ways to successfully work from home that keep you productive, efficient and on schedule.
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The first Target Haul of 2020 is here! I truly love putting together these hauls. They were some of the top blog posts of 2019 so it was a no brainer that the series was going to continue in 2020. I recently went to Target in search of some spring workwear pieces and was extremely impressed with all of the options! Even though we are still in the heart of winter, seeing all of the pastel colors, floral patterns and lighter fabrics made me so excited for the warmer weather to come along. There’s a little something for everyone in this Target haul, from a $12 statement tee to the most versatile sweater dress and pops of spring patterns.
I’ve never created such a clickbait blog post title before in my life but I just couldn’t help myself with this one! These past few months have been such an incredibly journey from so many different levels and angles. I have grown in more ways than I can count - personally, professional and mentally. I have learned more about myself and what is important to me in all aspects of life, and how I can shape a future that is near and dear to my heart. Most of all, I’ve discovered just how strong I truly am. Like, WHOA! And with that I’m going to drag the announcement out for a bit to build up even more suspense…sorry not sorry! So let’s get to it!
One of my main goals in 2020 is to read more books. It has always been something I truly enjoy that I forget about, often being replaced by “Netflix and chill” or the endless social scroll. Since focusing on a sleep hygiene routine, I have found that reading before bed has made such a difference in my sleep! Not only does it give my eyes and mind a break from the ever-bright light from my phone screen, but it lets my mind wind down while getting lost in a good book. With this, I’ve set a personal goal to read as many books as I possibly can this year and created a FREE PDF DOWNLOAD of 100 books to read in 2020!
2020 has arrived and I am feeling more than ready to attack it with an open mind, clear eyes and a full heart! Last year was the year of growth and it was nothing short of that. As we enter into a new year and decade, I’m truly excited to see what this crazy thing called life has in store for me. I sense continued growth, changes, and development in all aspects of life. As I sat down to figure out my vision for 2020, a few things kept popping in my head.
It has been quite some time since I shared any home decor posts on here so this one is well overdue! I don’t know about you, but there’s something about home decor and designing a space that I just love so much. I’m like a kid in a candy store on the hunt for the most perfect pieces to fit a space. I have quite a few things from the Hearth & Hand by Magnolia collection at Target that I own and absolutely love! They recently launched their new Spring 2020 collection and oh my goodness is it a beauty!
Money Monday is back my friends! Y’all loved this series last fall and it took a bit of a back seat during the winter holiday season and I am beyond excited to be starting it back up. Money and personal finances are one of those extremely important life things that unfortunately becomes this taboo topic nobody talks about. I’m here to break down that barrier and make it an accessible topic to help you feel comfortable and be successful with your finances. With it being the start of a new year and a new decade, I wanted to kick off Money Monday with some fun ways you can challenge yourself to save money all year long. Because who doesn’t love a good challenge AND saving money?!
Call me basic but I’ve had a serious craving for getting into the kitchen to do some quarantine baking. Not the endless piles of sweets and cookies, but the cozy kind. After perusing ideas galore on Pinterest, it clicked…banana bread! And not just any banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread. Y’all, not to toot my own horn but WOW this chocolate chip banana bread is the bomb dot com! So full of flavor, golden brown on the outside and moist on the inside, with a secret addition of some extra protein. Warm up a slice (or two) in the morning, top with a little butter and you’ve got yourself the perfect companion to your morning coffee.