Favorite Target Fitness Finds

In the midst of all the packing for the big move, I realized I needed some more storage bins for organization and easier moving. I was also beginning to get a little stir-crazy, so I headed out to Target in search of some options. You might be the type of person who can walk inside Target and go only to the section of the item on your list, but friend, I am not. (Unless I have a time limit, but even then, I am prone to wandering.) I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear that the trip for packing supplies that should have taken maybe 20 minutes turned into about an hour of strolling aimlessly through the store looking at just about everything I didn't need. #noregrets My mom (who is usually...

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Late Night Ramblings

It's a typical Thursday night in my apartment. M has headed home after dinner and a work out. Z is running the length of our space back and forth for no apparent reason. And I am tidying up here and there before it's time to officially call it a night. It's weird to me that what has become my normal for these past 2.5 years is coming to an end. Sure, my routine has shifted here and there - Michael and I are not longer dating long distance, I now have friends in Connecticut which means I have a (sort of) social life and there are actually things hanging on my apartment walls - but the core of the rhythm is still there. These are the last few weeks I am going to live on my own. Ever. In...

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A Little Holiday Shopping

Michael and I had our engagement photos taken this weekend and for the life of me I could not decide on what to wear. It was a super silly, basic problem to have. I can honestly say it was harder than choosing my wedding dress. I think it was because there were more options and combinations and colors, etc. Whatever the reason, and with all of the Pinterest suggestions, it was quite the challenge. When I finally did decide on our outfits, there were a few finishing pieces I wanted to find, so the Wednesday before Thanksgiving I ventured out for some shopping. I am not a fan of Black Friday and try to avoid it at all costs, but Wednesday was a day off of work, had a lot of the same sales and...

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Product Review: Keurig K Select

I can vividly remember being a kid and boldly professing my disdain for the taste of coffee and telling my mom (who drinks at least one pot of super strong black coffee a day) that I would never drink it. Fast forward 15 or so years and I have turned into a coffee loving adult who needs at least one cup in the morning to make it through the day. Life's funny sometimes. Because I live by myself, I had only purchased a french press which makes a great cup of coffee, but is a pain to clean. Most mornings I would run out of time and resort to buying coffee on the way to work which adds up. I've been considering alternatives to save time and money so when I was asked to partner with Keurig...

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Currently September

September is here, school is in full swing and I'm wishing the weather would act like it's fall instead of summer in the desert - scratch that, there's no way it would be this humid in a desert. Bring on that dry heat! On the bright side, I've never been so grateful for air conditioning. It's rough, kids. Currently I am laying on my couch in the only part of my apartment with AC writing this month's edition of the Currently Link Up with Anne in Residence. It's keeping my mind off of the heat and on some fond memories and exciting things ahead. Starting: To wedding plan again. After the stress of booking the venue so much sooner than anticipated, we haven't really done anything wedding-y...

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From That to This: Watermelon Salad

Summer is coming to an end and I intend to take advantage of every last minute of it. I want to soak up all of the sun, play all of the lawn games, go to all of the farmers markets - -- and eat ALL of the watermelon! Elissa shared a picture of a watermelon salad on her Instagram a few weeks ago and I have been eating it non-stop ever since. It's been a hot minute since I've posted a recipe, so I thought I would share it with you guys. Fair warning, you will become addicted. It's really that good. Ingredients (Single Serving) 1 cup Watermelon  2 tbsp Feta Cheese 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze (or just balsamic) 5-6 Chopped Mint Leaves Place your watermelon in a bowl, sprinkle...

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Currently - August

Hello August! School will start again in a few short weeks and y'all, I'm not sure I am ready to give up this slow, easy summer flow. I suppose I should just soak it in while it lasts and make sure to do some of the things on my summer bucket list before it's actually gone. Linking up with Anne in Residence again for another "Currently" update because the blogging bug has caught hold of me again and this is probably my favorite link-up.  following: lot's of lovely ladies via Instagram such as: Shannon, Nell, Laura, and Katrina.  Go check out their accounts and show them some love! #followfriday ordering: nothing at the moment. But I am daydreaming about this embroidered...

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4 Lessons Learned As A [New] Plant Lady

Freshman year of college my mom gave me a tiny cactus to make my dorm room feel a little more homey. By the spring semester of that year, the cactus was dead and I had pretty much given up on any chance that I could care for plants of any kind. I mean, who kills a cactus?!  This girl. Fast forward nearly 10 years (woof) and you will find 15 different plants living in my apartment and 1 outside. To be fair, a bunch of those plants were gifted to me, but nevertheless, I have definitely become a full-fledge plant lady. What started with caring for a few succulents in grad school (you may remember THIS POST) has slowly blossomed and taught me a few lessons along the way. [Ironically, the...

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5 Things I Am Loving in July

Hey friends, Happy Tuesday! On Saturday I came back from my last summer immersion trip which means my summer schedule is finally here! I am very excited for a slower pace and more time to just go with the flow. Summer also means a bit more free time to create and for whatever reason, my blogging bug seems to be coming back so maybe that means I will be posting more than once a month? Maybe. I make no promises other than to follow where the Spirit is leading. And that's really about all we can do, right? Today I thought I'd share a few of the things I am loving this month. Nothing too earth shattering, just a good old fashioned round-up of things catching my eye this July. 1) The...

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We're Engaged!

Tuesday, June 26, 2018 - Best. Day. Ever. Y'all, it's been almost a month and my head is still spinning and my heart is still overflowing with gratitude and love. I'll probably sit down and write out the story of how Michael proposed at some point (or have him write it) along with explaining why exactly my nephew was dressed like a duck. But for now, I am still processing what it means to be engaged and trying to soak in each and every moment of this new stage with this incredible man. If you have any tips or suggestions on how to embrace this stage of engagement, I am all ears. We are being very cautious to not make it just a planning period for a wedding and really entering into this...

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Floral Sundresses for Summer

Summer is here which means sunshine, gardens, and a whole lot of sundresses. There is nothing I love more than a good floral dress in the summer, so I thought I would round up a few I've been admiring and share them with you all! You'll probably notice that the majority are longer in length which is partly to do with what's trending, partly to do with #tallgirlproblems, and mostly to do with maxi dresses being crazy comfortable. Seriously though, it's like wearing pajamas. Top Row 1  |  2  |  3  |  4   Bottom Row 1  |  2  |  3  |  4   I really can't get enough of all of the color combinations...

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Our 5 Favorite Long Distance Dates

Michael and I met at a mutual friend's wedding in September of 2016. I had just moved to Connecticut after grad school and came home to Ohio for the event. Meeting someone at the wedding was the furthest thing from my mind. My most recent relationship had been nearly two years of long distance and I was not interested in getting back on that boat any time soon - if ever. And yet, after a night of dancing, months of talking, a visit home, his visit here, and even turning him down when he first asked to be exclusive, there was no denying the pull on my heart to give this man and this relationship a chance. Thankfully, in February, after 484 days of distance (not that I was counting), M joined...

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No Such Thing As Perfect Prayer

Last year I began the tradition of adopting a saint for the new year - or having a saint adopt me for the year as my friend, Beth, would describe it. This saint would be someone holy to look to for inspiration for the year - a role model of faith that would also give me a glimpse into the Church's history. On a whim, I decided to ask Michael if he would like to do the same. Of the two of us, I am definitely the more nerdy when it comes to our faith. I love learning about new saints, theology, prayers, etc. and he lovingly joins in when I offer the invitation. We were driving to mass on New Years Eve and I told him about my new saint for the year and asked if he would be interested in having...

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