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.

Wekiva Island

I wanted to share some local travel-related adventures even though our Wanderlust Wednesday linkup is not until the second Wednesday of each month. Consider this a save the date to get your travel posts ready for May 11th if you want to join Kerri, Kate, and myself.

I still can't believe it took me over 10 years of living in Central Florida before visiting Wekiva Island for the first time last year with Kate and our second in commands (that's a running joke we have not meant to be taken seriously). What a great day we had relaxing along the river. The water is cold but it's refreshing like spring water and there's a ton of amenities and activities to make it a fun day trip. Plus it's dog-friendly so you know I'm already sold.

Since our first trip to Wekiva Island we've gone back a few times to take my parents and then most recently my best friend last weekend. (recaps here and here).

If you're looking for a fun day outdoors, Wekiva Island offers canoeing/kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, volleyball, boating and swimming. Additionally there's live music (on certain days), an on-site restaurant, and cabanas for rent if you want to have your personal space. I consider this a hidden treasure of Central Florida.

Weekend Whereabouts

 

What a nice little break this weekend was.
I indulged in some of my favorite things ~ sleeping in, snuggling with Lola, quality time with my bestie, and some outdoor adventures.

After posting the recipe for Paleo Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos last week, I was craving the real deal so it was an easy decision to have our Friday night dinner date at Bonefish Grill.

The rest of the night was spent relaxing and catching up on some shows at home with my favorite snuggle bug.



Saturday was a Home Depot and Bed, Bath & Beyond type of day, except we didn't go to BBB. Instead laundry, grocery shopping, meal prep, and garden shopping at Home Depot happened before we headed out to continue the search for a new home.

We found a house with the perfect floor plan and it happens to have the most gorgeous kitchen! This week we are going to work on confirming all the details and possibly putting an offer on the house.

Hours of house shopping definitely leaves you feeling exhausted and hungry so we went to the new Buffalo Wild Wings in our area for some dinner and a cold beverage.

 On Sunday, the bestie and I spent the day laying out, chit chatting and canoeing on the river at Wekiva Island. We had so much fun and it was the perfect way to end the weekend

Linking up my girl Biana for her Weekending linkup.

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.

Loving Lately: Fashion

 

Spring is a tricky season to dress for here in Florida because it can surprise you with 80-degree weather one day followed by a random cold front bringing in 50-degree temps. Typically the days are warm and the nights can be chilly so you need to have to be prepared with a good mix of Spring and Summer outfits.

Over the last couple of years, Express has been my go-to store for good quality work and weekend clothing (other than my occasional bargain shopping at Marshall's or T.J. Maxx). I was recently searching for some outfits with cute patterns and pops of color that are comfortable and versatile for this time of year.

Blue Halter Romper  *  Floral High-Waisted Skirt  *  Marled Cowl Back Tee

Handkerchief Sundress  *  White Distressed Jeans  *  Chevron Halter Top

Elastic Waist Caftan  *  Deep V-Neck Bikini Bodysuit  *  Floral Sundress

My motto when it comes to clothing and shoes has always been comfort is key so that's what I was going for here. I know that anyone residing up north will probably classify these outfits as summer wear so I'm not trying to skip the seasons with these fashion finds. You can definitely be thankful you don't have to deal with the sweltering heat of Summers in Florida.

There's always that silver lining, right?

Rocksbox Finale

I sadly just cancelled my Rocksbox subscription after receiving my final box of goodies. I absolutely loved all the sparkly statement jewelry I received during the holidays and since then I've toned it down to more delicate/subtle pieces (mainly from Kendra Scott).

The truth is summer is coming up, life is slowing down (in the fancy department), and I simply don't have enough events to wear a bunch of jewelry to. The cool thing is you can take "breaks" and restart your subscription at any point if you want/need more pretty jewelry in your life for weddings or any other events.
 

If you're not familiar with how Rocksbox works, you can get unlimited designer jewelry for $19/month. You can borrow 3 pieces at a time (approximate value $200) and return the set at any point for a new set. The subscription includes free, prepaid shipping both ways (which saves a ton) and you can also purchase any pieces you love for a discounted rate.

Rocksbox Set #9
 

Kendra Scott
Jamie Silver Bracelet in Platinum Drusy

This bracelet is gorgeous and went so well with my watch so of course I decided to purchase it. Kendra Scott's platinum drusy stone is so shimmery and one of my favorites since I prefer to wear silver toned jewelry.
 

Kendra Scott

Elisa Silver Necklace in Iridescent Drusy

This Kendra Scott iridescent drusy necklace was very pretty too because once again I love sparkly stones. I wore it quite often for a few weeks but decided not to purchase because I prefer the platinum drusy stone as mentioned above.

Gorjana
Candice Shimmer Ring in Silver

This ring was very pretty but not really my style so I think I wore it once for novelty. It was a definite return but at least they got the silver and dainty aspect covered.

What I loved the most about my Rocksbox subscription was all the beautiful Kendra Scott pieces I received over the past few months (of course, I ended up purchasing 90% of those pieces). Once you're a Rocksbox member you can create a wishlist of items which your stylist will make sure to include in your upcoming boxes. This is key to receiving pieces that fit your style and are from designers that you love the most.

Here are some my previous Rocksbox sets and purchases:

one  /  two  /  three  /  four  /  five  /  six