April Happenings

Things have been BUSY around here lately leaving me with little time (and energy) to spend on blogging. The biggest time-consumer right now is that our offer on the new house was accepted earlier this week!! So I've spent the past week signing my life away and digging up all kinds of documents needed for home buying. K and I set out a couple months ago to find a new construction site where we could build a home with a particular floor plan and customize the design to our taste.

Last weekend while looking at another new construction site, we walked through a move-in ready inventory home that had the most gorgeous kitchen and the exact floor plan we were in the market for. We slept on the details on Saturday night and decided on Sunday to make an offer because it was perfect and within our budget. We were already sold on the house itself, it was just the location we had to really think about because, even though it's in a lovely new community, it's a bit far out from where we're accustomed living. This week the offer got accepted and we put our current house on the market for sale (more paperwork and signing my life away).

It would have been fun to build and design a house from the ground up but I think that would also come with added stress when things go wrong and not knowing an exact move-in date when you're trying to sell your current home. Our neighbors a few houses down the street recently sold their house much quicker than expected and now have no where to live. Luckily they have family living nearby who are helping them out but that is one thing we don't have. My in-laws live over 2 hours away and my parents live in the Caribbean.

The good news is we've already had a few potential buyers look at the house over the past few days so things are moving in the right direction. I foresee the whole month of May being consumed with the technicalities of buying a new home, selling our current house, and then the most painful part - packing up and moving! Other than the moving process being a bitch, I'm all kinds of excited to settle into our new home and start decorating.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Linking up with Amanda.

Friday Faves

I feel like I can finally exhale with it being Friday and the weekend in sight. I was saddened to hear about two celebrity deaths yesterday and I'm still trying to wrap my head around what happened. I'm sure there will be some updates today but with that being said, I usually try to focus on some positive things on Friday.

Here's what caught my interest and/or made me smile this week:

Dreamy Destinations
 I stumbled on this article showcasing 30 amazing places to visit in the summer which gave me all kinds of Wanderlust. Most of these places, I had either never heard of before or had no clue they were that gorgeous of a destination. Needless to say, my wanderlust travel list has just expanded significantly.

Enticing Recipes
If you like shrimp and have ever eaten at Bonefish Grill you already know that their Bang Bang Shrimp is to die for! We go there for dinner just to get this appetizer so when I found this recipe for Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos I was already sold. The best part is that it's Paleo approved.

Sweet Aromas
When Bath & Body Works has their hand soaps on sale and 50% off on 3-wick candles there is no stopping me from stocking up for the next few months. Luckily I got to place this online order right before I cut myself from shopping for the next month.

Pet Parents Products
I mentioned recently that Lola got extremely sick which caused a huge mess on our carpet and sheets leaving me feeling pretty grossed out defeated but the Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover I got from Chewy.com came to the rescue. It cleans up both old and new stains and helps to get rid of those bad odors. You really can't "un-see" the mess made by a sick pet but this pet cleaner really helps to defuse the situation.

Good Reads

Since the weekend is here, I thought this article was a good motivator to be productive on Sundays. I have a basic Sunday routine for cooking/cleaning/getting organized but there's so much more tiny things you can throw into the mix.

I hope everyone gets some sunshine and has a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Amanda.

Friday Faves

Thank heavens! I know I say that every week but that's seriously how I feel by the time Friday rolls around! Anyone planning to do anything fun this weekend? I plan to get some rest and make it out to the beach if the weather plays nice which it's been doing for the most part this week. So, as usual, just a quick weekly recap and some of my favorite finds.

Freebies!
Anyone run over to ULTA this week to get the free Clinique Chubby Stick? No purchase necessary so it's completely free. Go get it while supplies last. I went yesterday and it looked like they had a good amount left but that could easily run out this weekend.

Beauty Department
Last week I spoke about winning a box of goodies from Amanda's giveaway and I was excited to try the Pixi Rose Oil Blend. I've applied it to my face every night this week after washing my face. It makes your skin soft as a baby's butt face the next morning. I will definitely purchase this again (sold at Target) and the good news is it costs half the price of other rose oils I've seen in stores.

Food Trucks
The food truck trend really hit it big in Orlando a few years ago and has died down since. They still have food truck events on the weekend but it's hard finding one for lunch. Unless they pull right up to your office! The Toasted Food Truck blessed us with their presence on Tuesday and came bearing fancy variations of grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Win!

Shopping

I should say TOO MUCH shopping. The past two weekends got a little out of control with shopping in Coral Gables and then last weekend with the bestie. In my defense, mostly everything is from Marshall's or Target so it was more like out of control bargain shopping.

One of my favorite finds is this cute graphic tank beach coverup from Target. Having said that my spending freeze has begun!

Health Eating
I've been sharing some delish salad recipes for the warmer months ahead. It's already quite warm here so I've started making different variations of salads which I shared here and here.

That's all for today. Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with fellow Floridian Amanda.

Friday Faves

This week was a crazy busy one but thankfully Friday has finally made her appearance. I can't wait to exhale all the stress and hopefully get a good night's sleep. Moving on to some faves for the week.

The Beauty Department

This box of goodies from Amanda's giveaway arrived earlier this week and I was so excited to see the Pixi Rose Oil staring at me. I've read so many amazing reviews about rose oil from other bloggers so I've been dying to try it out. I've applied it to my face every night this week after showering and my face feels incredibly soft.

Fave Fashion Finds

I talked about my love for mid-rise jeans yesterday in my Spring Fashion post. They are seriously the perfect fit for my body type. After figuring that out, I purchased a couple more styles including these Distressed Black Mid Rise Jean Leggings which are so comfortable and have a nice stretch to fit different body types.

Healthy Eating Ideas

I've been eating all the salads recently. I shared some delish Spring Salad Recipes earlier this week which are perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. I just found this Skinny BBQ Chicken Flatbread recipe which I have to try asap.

Good To Know
I think this article about 10 Ways to Lose Weight is mainly common sense but the question is, do we actually do them? I know I don't so it's a great guide to get a reality check and get back on track.

Puppy Snuggles
I woke up on Thursday morning to Lola being "sick" all over our bed. My poor baby girl + mattress and sheets!! The details are too gruesome to share but it was a nightmare to clean up. Thankfully I was able to pinpoint what gave her the upset stomach. Wheat flour is a definite NO for English bulldogs. #lessonlearned  We tossed those treats in the trash and she's been feeling better since then.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Friday Faves

Today happens to be a company holiday so K and I decided to take a little road trip to St. Augustine, FL to explore the historic city and get a change of scenery. The one and only time I went to St. Augustine was for a wedding so it was a quick trip. In the little free time that we had, we did manage to explore most of the historic district, the Castillo De San Marcos National Monument and finally had some amazing Spanish/Cuban cuisine at the famous Columbia Restaurant. We'll definitely be returning to Columbia on this trip!

Before I get into some Friday Faves, I have to say that I was so infuriated on Monday to realize that someone left a hefty scratch on my brand new car from a shopping cart at Publix. The car is not even 2 weeks old! I'm still slightly upset but choosing to focus on some brighter & better things linking up with Amanda.

Fave Recipe
I'm a big fan of Chipotle so when I saw this Fiesta Chicken Burrito Bowl recipe I knew I had to try it. I've recreated Chipotle's salads at home many times but haven't tried my hand at a burrito bowel.

Fashion Fave
Rocksbox sent me this Kendra Scott Jamie Bracelet in Platinum Drusy and I decided to purchase it even tough I wasn't really in the market for another bracelet. It's so shimmery and goes so well with my watch so it's been on major repeat this week.

Wedding Favor Ideas
For all the brides-to-be, I recently attended a wedding and received this wedding favor saying they made a donation to the Children's Cancer Center on our behalf. I love this for a unique and thoughtful wedding favor for charitable donations. 

Funny Photos
My mom actually sent this article to me but I thought it was too funny not to share! Check out some of these photos showing dogs with no understanding of personal space.

Sushi.
Enough said right? The day job decided they were going to spoil us with some sushi on Tuesday for lunch. Of course I enjoyed all the sushi possible and had a fun time chatting with coworkers over lunch.

Enjoy the weekend and have a fabulous Easter however (and if) you plan to celebrate it!

Friday Faves

Happy Friday everyone!
Daylight savings really made this week feel like it was dragging so I'm pretty relieved the weekend is almost here.

Last night my coworker and I met up with a business partner visiting from New Jersey at Marlow's Tavern for some dinner. No green beer this year for St. Patrick's Day but lots of others greens in the form of a delicious Ahi Tuna Salad with avocado!

How about some faves for the week?

Favorite Find
How adorable are these pet name tags from Tags For Hope? You can customize it for the state you live in and add all of your pet's information as well as your phone number (where I blocked out below). I love this idea for a tiny pet ID tag to hang from their collar.

Favorite DYI Project

This is such a cute and easy DYI guide for making a key holder out of a picture frame. I already have a key + mail holder on my wall but I think this would be cute for beach/vacation homes or cottages.

Favorite Memories
Some of my favorite St. Patty's Day photos for a quick Flashback Friday.

Favorite Recipe
This Guinness Beef Stew recipe is on the menu for Sunday dinner and keeps up with the whole Irish theme I'm going with this month.

Favorite Funny:

Speaking of Jameson, did you happen to catch my Irish Mule recipe yesterday? Since the weekend is here, I figured why not share it again.

The ecard definitely describes me in previous years but, as I mentioned above, I celebrated or didn't at a business dinner but I have to say it was still fun even though it was work-related.

We also did a lunchtime celebration at work with some corn beef and pastrami sandwiches, beef stew and all the shamrock desserts possible.

Did you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

Linking up with Amanda for Friday Favorites

Friday Faves + $50 Amazon Giveaway

Hello friends and hello pollen season!
My car and patio furniture are covered in a powdery yellow layer. Thankfully I don't have allergies but I feel bad for those who do because it's pretty intense this year.

Easter is coming up in a few weeks and I'm starting to plan our annual Easter potluck dinner so this weekend I need to figure out the menu and some pretty decor for the house. I'm thinking some mason jars with colorful flowers and maybe incorporating some fruit in there. Of course, one must turn to Pinterest for some inspiration.

 
source: here, here

Beauty Product Spotlight:
I just picked up this Revlon eye primer and shadow palette and love the medium neutral yet shimmery colors. I was definitely drawn to it because of the discrete application guide it comes with. I know how to apply some basic eye shadow for everyday wear but definitely could use some "professional guidance".

via

Healthy Meals:
I'm always searching for new recipes and while I'm not vegan or vegetarian, I found this Vegan Buddha bowl and it looks delicious but I would probably add some grilled chicken to the dish.

Favorite Blog Post:
One of my favorite bloggy friends, Alexis from The Chemistry Cachet posted about her favorite beach places and featured me with a questionnaire about my travel plans.

Alexis and I have also teamed up to host a $50 Amazon Gfit Card Giveaway so enter on below to win your ticket to a fun little online shopping spree!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And don't forget to...



Joining Amanda for her Friday Faves linkup. 

Friday Faves

More like is it 5 o'clock yet?

I hope this week treated everyone well. It went pretty smoothly for me and I finally got caught up on The People vs. OJ Simpson in the evenings and some of my other mindless shows. I'm hoping this weekend is a fairly relaxing one but I do love getting out the house to grab a bite or meet up with friends so we shall see where the wind takes me.

Let's get into some Faves:
Earlier this week, I enjoyed reading these mobile photography tips for creating quality photos for Instagram. Just good to know as a blogger.

On Tuesday night we made this Spinach & Brie Stuffed Chicken recipe (minus the cranberries) and it was so delicious. It's been added to my list of favorite meals to cook for dinner. 

Emelia announced earlier this week the opening of her new Etsy shop called Dreamy Details where she sells fun and inspirational wall art creations. I picked out the Life is Better with Furry Friends print for my office desk. I was able to download it right away, print it on glossy paper and get it framed for less than $10. I think her prints are perfect for affordable gifts for friends.

The home project that I'm planning to tackle in the upcoming weeks is landscaping the front area of our house. Our lawn looks great but 5 years after purchasing our home, the landscaping has gone to shit so I've been looking for some inspiration and ideas that will endure Florida weather. Honestly we will probably need to hire a landscaping company but I want to decide on a vision before then.

Found another type of dental chew treat that Lola enjoys from Chewy.com. Zuke's Z-bones and Whimzees dental chews are her favorite treats of all time and they're good for her hygiene so I approve. Yesterday I did a Throwback Thursday post and shared the story of how Lola joined our family, check it out here if you happened to miss it. 

Speaking of hygiene, one of my absolute favorite products that I stumbled upon at our local grocery store are the Petkins Pet Wipes....I use them to clean any dirt off of Lola's face, body and paws and they make her smell really good.

And I'll leave you with a funny....Have a great weekend!!

Joining Amanda for her Friday Favorites linkup.

Friday Faves

Happy Friday friends!

I have to admit it wasn't the best week for me. I'm not going to go on about it but I'm ready for a break this weekend. I do believe brighter days are ahead!

In much better news, K and I have been planning and finalizing some of our trips for 2016 and four have been booked so far. Can you guess where we're going? 

On Wednesday, my company had an Empanada food truck visit the office and give out free empanadas for all employees. So delish!

I've said this before but the mornings are not my favorite beast to tackle. I'm just not a morning person but I found some tips from this article were useful.

I've been warming up to one piece swimsuits and I found these two beauties at Target. Both I would definitely wear.

Black  /  Mint Julep

This Avocado Caprese Skillet Chicken recipe is on my radar for dinner next week. I love an excuse to eat more avocados.

One thing I do every weekend is plan my meals ahead for the upcoming week. This also ensures that I don't overbuy at the grocery as I tend make impulse purchases (still do sometimes) but this free printable has been handy to keep my meal planning organized.



Do you do weekly meal planning? How do you stay organized?


Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Joining Amanda for her Friday linkup.