Thankful For Today

I'm thankful this week was a short one because it started off sluggishly after returning home from Nashville on Monday night. Nothing the weekend can't fix right?

While at the airport, I spotted this shiny object which made me get all excited. Has anyone seen a Benefit makeup kiosk at the airport before? Luckily I didn't have a whole lot of time to do much damage but how convenient is that to stock up on makeup while traveling?

On a slightly more obscure note,  I witnessed a high-speed chase as I was commuting home on Wednesday evening.  A mini van (of all vehicles) was tailgating behind me until he swerved through cars to escape the cops. It was quite a scary little scenario!

I'm excited to try something new and become a mentor for the College of Business Mentorship Program at my Alma Mater University. In the next few weeks I should find out who I've been matched with.

It feels like I haven't made a new recipe in months and since I've been on a major avocado kick recently, this BLT Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado recipe sounds perfect!

With the new work schedule, weekends have become my only uninterrupted time to write and plan posts for the week ahead. Traveling and other weekend happenings have caused some radio silence recently but I'm hopeful the next few quiet weekends will help me get up to speed.

Speaking of that, I need to get my recap of Nashville together this weekend because it was a trip of a lifetime! A big thank you to Ashley and Missy for sharing some amazing recommendations for fun and food in Nashville!

Cheers to the weekend! I hope you have a good one!

Jamaica Bound

Happy Friday!

I hope you have some fun plans lined up for the weekend. I've been looking forward to this day for a few months now because we're en route to Jamaica for my cousin's wedding and will be spending the next few days with my family in Montego Bay. The last time we went to Jamaica, we spent the entire trip in Negril so I'm excited to explore a different part of the island.

For once I planned nothing for this trip and will be going where the wind takes us around whatever wedding festivities we have to attend. I'm hoping to go on an excursion or two but I'm waiting to explore the options while we're there. I'm most excited about lounging on the beach and hopefully returning home with a nice tan.

Enjoy the weekend!

Life Lately

Hi there and happy Friday!

I apologize for my blogging being spotty for the past few weeks as I try to find balance with my new work schedule and several other moving parts of life. The good news is that I leave work everyday so happy and thankful for this new opportunity to run my own department and finally advance in my career. In my free time I've been decorating my office with some cute tidbits that make me happy.

There's still so much to be done around our new house but I've managed to get a few rooms organized and decorated. I'm hoping to get some more things checked off my list this weekend but here's a sneak peak of the guest bathroom I decorated... beach-themed of course!

Lola, being the finicky character she is, was just starting to adjust to the new diggs until we took her with us to Cocoa Beach for the weekend which completely freaked her out about moving around so much. We had a little debacle with her refusing to leave the hotel room for 2 days but now that we're back at home, she's finally settled and knows this is home now.

There have been candle vigils almost every night here in Orlando to support the gay community after the senseless terrorist attack. At the Monday night vigil downtown a full rainbow appeared hovering over the crowd. It warmed my heart that the universe works in such mysterious ways!

My best friend flies home today so I'm extremely sad to see her leave after spending the past few months together but I'm excited for her to return home and get settled. She surprised me last night with this gorgeous Pandora bracelet with the Love & Guidance charm. Such a thoughtful gift and she has the matching charm. I'm going to miss her so much.

I worked some long hours this week but loving what you do and the people that you work with makes it feel so rewarding at the end of the week. I'm looking forward to date night with K tonight and a relaxing weekend ahead with some house organizing and decorating sprinkled in there.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!


Joining Amanda for her linkup.

Friday Before the Long Weekend

Happy Friday!

I've been looking forward to this weekend for months now since we have a trip to Denver planned and we fly out tonight. Life has been extremely crazy recently so I only just started planning out some things to do. We did buy tickets for a Rockies game a while ago but other than that I really haven't had much time to research restaurants, main attractions, etc. Either way I know it's going to be a fun weekend!

Life has been busy but I managed to grab a celebratory lunch with the bestie at a local Japanese restaurant and had the most delicious bento box I've ever tried. It even came with a cute little yogurt dessert.

One of my favorite fashion finds this week are these adorable Starfish Rings from Alex & Ani. I have a "thing" for starfish and used the symbol in my wedding as a theme since it was a beach/tropical style wedding. According to various sources the starfish symbolizes perception, sensitivity, and feelings among other things.

I've loved Body Shop products since I was a teenager but rarely make time to go to the mall. I've raved about their amazing eye makeup remover several times before on the blog but a few weeks ago I picked up the new-to-me Seaweed Deep Cleansing Face Wash and I love how well it deep cleans my face after a long day yet it's gentle without a harsh smell. They actually have free shipping right now so it would usually be my time to stock up. 

 

In the healthy food department, these Apple Pecan Chicken Salad made with Greek yogurt looks amazing. I can't wait to try it when I return home from vacay.

 Happy Memorial weekend!

If you have any fun suggestions for things to do in Denver, I'd love to hear all about it. 

Joining Amanda for her Friday Favorites linkup.

Friday Faves

 

Happy Friday!
The weekend is near and sunshine is in my future so I'm content with that. To say this week was an extremely busy one would be an understatement! It's been challenging working our schedule around house showings to potential buyers (not a bad problem to have) and then all the paperwork involved with buying a new house...and then my full-time gig so it's been a bit draining but it doesn't stop there, I'm also knee deep in some other time-consuming projects (more on that later) and I'm reading a book! I haven't read a book in years so finding the time has been challenging but I'm really enjoying the one I decided to get started with.

The Book

 I wanted to read something that would inspire me to grow personally and professionally and WOW the The Go-Giver was the perfect choice! I'm halfway through and it's already changed my outlook on so many things to do with productivity, creating value, and what makes you a successful person.

Healthy Meals
This Blackened Shrimp, Asparagus and Avocado Salad has some of my favorite ingredients and I can't wait to make it for our healthy weeknight dinners.

Favorite Scents
I just started burning the Hello Beautiful 3-wick candle from my recent Bath & Body Works haul and I'm in love! I'd like to say this is my favorite candle scent so far but I know there's a few others that are equally amazing.

The Body & Mind
I just got back into yoga since my best friend is in town so we can go together.
I've been loving the outdoor yoga near Lake Eola downtown plus it's affordable.

Enjoy the weekend!


Joining Amanda for her Friday Faves linkup.

Friday Faves: Home Edition

Happy Friday everyone!

 I hope you have some fun things lined up for the weekend even if that includes complete relaxation. R&R is always fun in my books. Since my mind has been consumed with all things home buying and selling recently, I wanted to share some home decor ideas I'd love to incorporate into my new home.

We already own a good amount of furniture but unfortunately not all of our pieces make sense for the new floor plan so we have to sell some and buy some that are a better fit. I'm still in the early stages of planning our interior design so most of the faves I picked out today have that extra girly touch. K may not approve of it in some rooms but most of the other living space will be decorated by yours truly. Let's take a look at some of my absolute faves (Titles are clickable)


Mirrored Nightstand

 via

Grey Shag Rug

Accent Mirror

Tuffeted Headboard

Metal Base Lamps

If you have any other cute and affordable home decor suggestions, please feel free to send my way. I'm still browsing ideas & figuring things out.


Joining Amanda for Friday Favorites.
 

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!