While I love weekend trips and fun plans, sometimes nothing excites me more than looking at my calendar for a weekend and seeing very few plans! That was the case this weekend but it ended being a lot busier than I thought it would be. a) the weather was gorgeous. We had to get outside. b) our house was in shambles. c) I'm eating Keto right now and am cooking lots and flying through fresh groceries. d) I've been neglecting my blog and it was time to catch up.
Even though I didn't get much lazy couch time, I actually feel super energized going into a new week! Productivity + some quality time with the hubby makes ya feel really good. My house is clean and smells nice (always a win with indoor dogs), I have a new blog post up (you're reading it!), I played golf with Trey, I did some adopt-a-highway trash cleanup (which made me so tired and sore!), I meal planned for the week in about 5 minutes in the Aldi parking lot, and we got to spend some time on our newly made-over back deck to grill and split a bottle of red wine. All in all, I have no complaints :)
Happy Friday! I'm feeling super burnt out at work these days, so to say I'm excited for the weekend is an understatement. Then I just have to get through next week and it's vacation time!
One big way that I relieve work stress (and other stress) is through working out. What used to be a chore for me has really become a part of my life and something that I look forward to for the most part! I've been working out way more consistently the past few months, and I am starting to see a big difference, which is motivating me even more!
Read on for my current workout regimen, and my favorite workout wear!
The past few months my regimen has been two spin classes/week, one yoga class/week, circuit and toning workouts at home (1-2/week), and occasionally a barre class. I've grown to absolutely love and look forward to my spin class, and now that I have cycling shoes and really know what I'm doing, I'm getting so much more out of it than I used it. What I like about spin is that it's not just cardio... It's also resistance training and it's something you can continually get better at by getting faster and by adding more resistance. My yoga instructor is incredible, and I love that her classes melt away my stress while also being a great workout. I love the relaxing aspect of yoga, but overall I like to get a workout out of my yoga classes.
I don't want to get into too much detail about my routine in this post because I'm planning to change things up a bit soon. I'm definitely a believer in changing up workouts to keep your body guessing, so I've found a couple of programs I want to try! After our vacation I'm planning to tackle Kayla Itsines' 12-week Bikini Body Guide (BBG). They're short but HARD circuit workouts that have amazing results. I did this program before our wedding and was in such good shape, so I'd like to get to that point again! At this point I'm just trying to plan out how I can work it in with my workout classes without overdoing it. I also listened to the latest episode of the Skinny Confidential Podcast, which interviewed the founder of the PVolve method (I highly recommend listening). Everything he said really resonated with the goals that I have, and I think that method would be a good way to balance out spin classes. So I may subscribe to that streaming service after I do the BBG program.
Since working out more consistently, I've actually had a difficult time keeping up with laundry and realized I didn't have enough workout clothes I loved! Of course I'm never mad to have an excuse to shop for cute workout clothes.
Most of my workout tops are from Forever 21 and H&M. These are something I don't like to spend much on and I got for the cute + lightweight factor for the most part. My favorite tops to workout in are anything cropped since I'm always wearing high-waisted leggings. My favorite sports bras are from H&M, but I also have some I like from Target and Forever 21. I don't need much support, so I go for the comfortable and cute factors. All of my leggings are either Zella or Beyond Yoga and I love both brands! My essentials for leggings are that they're super high-waisted, and that they have compression. I hate a non-compression legging, so I'm super picky on this. For shoes, I've been loving my Adidas pair, and have found that their shoes seem to have more support than Nikes.
Here are some of my favorite finds if you're looking for new stuff too:
I love the fresh wave of motivation and energy that comes with any new season, but especially spring. Spring always makes me feel hopeful and inspired! Since I'm feeling so motivated right now, I thought I would share my spring check list with all of you!
Try at least one new dinner recipe each week. I've been so into cooking lately and want to continue the momentum by trying more new recipes. It's easy to get into a rut (especially in the winter) of making the same dinners over and over, but I want to keep things fresh (literally and figuratively) in the kitchen this spring! File our taxes weeks before April 17. I'm a classic procrastinator paired with a millennial that is overwhelmed by adulting. It's quite the combo, let me tell ya! haha. This week I'm working on getting everything organized so that we can get started well before April! Read a new book, front to back. This is a sad one. I am so, so out of the habit of reading. I actually read quite a bit every day, just not out of books. I've always loved reading, but in college I was doing so much academic reading that reading for fun lost its appeal. I have a stack of some books lent to me by friends and I'm debating between reading this one or this one first. Start (and complete) the Bikini Body Guide workout program. "BBG" is a 12-week workout guide created by Australian trainer (and babe) Kayla Itsines. I actually found this four years ago and did 2/3 of the program before our wedding, and looking back at the photos, it seriously worked! While I've done some of the circuits here and there for a quick home workout, I've really been contemplating doing the program start to finish as I'm trying to get in the best shape of my twenties! I haven't decided what 3 month time frame to do it in, but I want to at least start it in spring so it carries over into summer! Finally get rid of my sell + donate piles. My guest room is currently a hell hole of clothing piles. I have a Poshmark pile, a Facebook sell pile, and a large donate pile. I recently listed quite a few items on my Poshmark (@lovelenore) that are slowly but surely selling, but I need to stop procrastinating on the rest! I always want to be more minimal and not have clutter in the house, and getting rid of these piles will be a huge step in the right direction!
Having a 3-day weekend was exactly what I needed in my life, but somehow this 4-day work week was not a breeze. I feel like something always goes a bit wrong on a short work week.
I cannot wait to get my hair done on Tuesday.
I go around 4 months between appointments (I'm so glad I can because it saves me money!), but I'm feeling especially ready for some fresh blonde and a big trim! My hair has actually grown A LOT for once (woohoo 🙌) so my highlights are pretty grown out and my ends are kind of thin and scraggly right now. I'm going to go back to more of a blunt chop, but hoping not to lose too much of my new length.
Why am I craving dark chocolate like a crazy person lately?
I looked up some scientific reasons (a magnesium deficiency is one possibility I found), but I swear I want some after every meal this week!
The funny trick that made these jeans photographable.
I was laughing to myself while putting this post together because of the crazy hack Bri suggested to make my jeans "fit." I'm obsessed with these jeans (the Riley High Rise), and went up a size to get a looser look in the legs. Unfortunately that has left me with an absolutely gaping waist to where the jeans won't even stay up on their own (don't worry, they'll be visiting my alterations lady next week!). So, we grabbed a bottle of lotion I had in the car and stuck it in the waistband to make the jeans "fit." I felt like a complete weirdo, but looking at the photos I guess it worked!
I'm currently obsessed with... Do certain styles or trends ever just click with you and you find yourself adding different variations to your cart on several different sites? Me toooooo. I have so many cool statement earrings on my wish list right now, and love the options here, here and here (a dedicated earring blog post might be coming soon!). I'm also loving prints (florals and polka dots) and ruffle details. This brand is killing it in those departments right now.
Something I've seen being talked about quite a bit lately is "realness" in the blogging and Instagram world. It seems like readers and followers (non-bloggers and influencers) are craving authenticity more and more these days, perhaps because we're so oversaturated with media and social media and expectations for what both we and our lives should look like. It's a tricky issue for sure! I've been thinking on this a bit, and thought I would share just a bit of my perspective. I honestly wrote down so many thoughts at first and then paired them down, because it was too much for one post. So, here are just a few thoughts (and maybe we can dive in more another time)...
I think there's a huge difference between being fake and showing your life in a beautiful way. I'm sure we all have some girls who come to mind (influencers or not) who we think of as fake. I've seen many a girl on Instagram or in the blogging world whose body looks so different in her photos versus in other people's photos, or who wasn't transparent about plastic surgery, or who simply doesn't share anything authentic about her life. It's frustrating, FOR SURE. But, I also think a lot of bloggers and Instagrammers are getting lumped into this simply because they post beautiful imagery. I feel strongly that just because someone only posts pretty images on their Instagram, doesn't mean that they're fake - it's just what they like to share in that space. Something to ask yourself is if you think someone's posts are coming from a place of creativity or from a place of insecurity or bragging. There are some big bloggers I've unfollowed because it rubbed me the wrong way when they overedited their photos or wore crazy amounts of makeup. These accounts made me feel bitter, and I don't want that negative energy! In the end, I think we should just follow people who make us feel good, and who inspire us. For me that's a whole mixture of folks. I love following my friends who don't give an F about a curated Instagram grid. I love following fashion and lifestyle bloggers and home decor accounts that give me so much inspiration about how I want to dress and decorate and entertain. I love following travel accounts so I can dream of future vacations. All are okay! For me personally, I love photography and am even a photographer now. I also love experimenting with photo editing (not crazy Photoshopping - I'm talking tones, white balance, brightness, depth, etc.). I feel SO inspired by producing creative content, and I always want to be proud to share it with you guys. I wouldn't feel inspired to share a dimly lit photo of my messy living room here on my blog when I'm talking about home decor or something. There's nothing inspiring about that! But, there are other ways that I can share my realness. I'm always real with you in what I write here! Instagram Stories are a great sneak peek into someone's life (you've seen me on there sick, with bad hormonal breakouts, and cooking in my ugly 90's kitchen and more 😜). And Twitter is probably my favorite social media channel because everyone is just themselves. In closing... Bloggers and influencers, I ask that you show your real selves. Don't stop producing beautiful content, but make sure it's relevant to others and still ties in with your actual life. Show us your personality, tell us when you've had a bad day, and complain when you have a bad zit. To those who read blogs and follow influencers on Instagram, I ask that you only follow people who make you happy and provide positive inspiration for you. Don't hate-follow someone so you can roll your eyes at their fakeness. Also, please don't assume we're all like that. There are many of us that are super real (as dorky as I am), and would love to build that trust with you. Trust that even if we post pretty pictures, we are still real people and are making efforts to let you into our lives.
I thought I would use this opportunity to give a little shoutout to some four bloggers and Instagrammers who inspire me, but also make me laugh and feel like I know them in person!
We've become blogging friends over the years and she's such a genuine, kind person. Her style and LA photos are to-die-for and I'm always checking her Instagram for new photos!
She's one of my oldest blogging friends, and is the most selfless gal ever! She is now a travel blogger, and I'm always inspired by her travels and her style.
My monthly favorites posts are back! I needed a little break to rethink formatting and to get inspired again. What used to be a last-minute throw-together post will now be one of my favorites I think. I like a lot of different types of things, so it’s nice to have a little home for randomness on my blog.
Completely unnecessary but amazing purchase:
* These pink Anthropologie glasses that I’ve wanted for ages. We have more than enough cups, but every time I use these glasses they make me happy, and that’s what counts right?
All gold everything:
* Mini hoop set. One of my best super affordable purchases in a minute because I wear these nearly every day. Oh so chic!
* Perfect layering necklaces. I love the layered necklace look, but sometimes it takes planning and strategic purchases. I’m so happy I picked up this necklace and this necklaces over the holidays. I wear them so frequently both on their own and layered.
Beauty + Health finds:
* The Ordinary High Adherence Silicone Primer. I ordered this primer on a whim, and have really, really loved it so far. It smooths out my skin, keeps my oily self matte all day, and is only $4.90. Enough said.
* Dove Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo. My friend Jo talked me into straying from my staple dry shampoo to try this one, and I’m so glad I did. It truly refreshes my roots, doesn’t leave a white residue, and has a pleasant smell without being overpowering.
* Olly Undeniable Beauty Vitamins. These are my favorite hair, skin and nail vitamins because they truly work! My hair has never grown quickly in my life, but I have very noticeable hair growth when I take these consistently. They’re a bit more than I’d like to pay in an ideal world, but if you’re trying to grow your hair out, I can’t recommend these enough.
Apps:
* Hopper. You can use this app to track all kinds of different flights, and it will alert you when the prices drop. I booked cheap flights to San Diego for Trey and I thanks to a handy push notification from this app, so it’s kind of my favorite thing right now.
* FriendO. This is a fun little game that I’ve been playing back and forth with my friend Jo. Basically you answer random questions about yourself and your friend guesses your answer.
Things I’m excited about:
* Kristin Ess’ new products at Target. I’ve tried a few of her products and love them, so I’m excited that she’s released even more. Also, her packaging/branding makes my heart sing!
* Stranger Things Season 2. Trey and I recently binge-watched it and loved every second! I thought it was even better than the first season, and I *loved* the character development. Honestly, is there a show with better characters? I can't get enough of them.
I thought I would do something a little different today and share some random brands and products I'm loving lately! It's easy to get in a rut of shopping the same brands and stores all the time, but I definitely want to branch out a bit this year and support more brands while spicing things up a bit!
As I've been working out more, I realized that I really didn't own enough leggings I actually liked wearing. Enter Beyond Yoga leggings. They're v. high-waisted and completely suck you in (both musts for me), and on top of that they don't fall down while you work out. They're definitely on the pricier end, but I've been so happy with mine so far (and they have really cute designs). The Ordinary I recently discovered this affordable + chic skincare brand through a couple of friend and reader recommendations, and I truly couldn't believe the price points and great ingredients! I just started testing out a few products, and will definitely be sharing about them with you guys in the near future. Natori I typically hate underwire bras, but last month I picked up the Natori Feathers Plunge Contour Bra and it's amazing! It's so pretty, doesn't show lines under shirts, and is actually comfortable. I definitely want to try more of their bras in the future!
Dazey LA
This girl power brand has the cutest, most empowering goods! They sell original graphic tees, art prints and more (all handmade to order in LA), and I have a long wish list there!
Puma
I hadn't really thought about Puma in years, but after I ordered my sneakers from Shopbop and loved them (so comfortable and low-profile) I decided to look into Puma. Their stuff is surprisingly chic! Check out their full collection here.
Jenny's Print Shop I recently purchased a couple of prints from Jenny's Print Shop, and already have a couple more on my list! She has a gorgeous selection, and I love that you can download them for $15-$20 each and get them printed at whatever size you need. Some of my favorites are this one, this one and this one. Re:named Re:named is a brand I love to keep an eye on at Shopbop! Their price points are pretty reasonable (comparable to Zara), and they always have really unique pieces. I have 3 of their pieces in my Shopbop cart at the moment! American Eagle If you would have asked me a few years ago, I never would have thought I'd be shopping at American Eagle again. But, you've probably noticed that I've been wearing these AE mom jeans a ton lately, and they're definitely my favorite jeans right now! They just came out in a bunch of new washes (and shorts!) and I can't wait to pick out another pair or two.
Ban.do
Several months ago I was browsing Shopbop and re-discovered Ban.do, the cutest little brand that ever was! I love the planner I have from there, and I also have some cute cups, gel pens and sticky notes. It's all so cheeky and colorful. You can check out their full site here. Sage the Label I have a few pieces from Sage the Label that I absolutely love, and when I was checking out their site the other day I was totally obsessed with so many items! The spring pieces they've released so far are gorgeous, and they're making me reallllyyyy ready for warmer weather to roll around (hopefully soon)! ------- Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you found some new brands to check out! xx
My Forever 21 dress is sold out 😪 but you can view the full outfit post here.
Unexpectedly, plaid and any kind of checkered print is absolutely huge this fall and winter! I've always found plaid to be a little on the preppy side, but I'm happy to see it in lots of interesting pieces and styled in more fashion-forward ways this season. So overall, I'm a fan in moderation! One thing I'd especially love to buy is a plaid coat to add some print and interest to my winter outfits. Here are some of my favorite plaid and checkered finds from around the web...
I couldn't include these retailers in the widget, but there are lots more great plaid finds here and here. As far as styling goes, I'm a big fan of mixing plaid with slightly edgier or unconventional pieces to keep it from getting too preppy or "school girl." I love the look of a plaid blazer or bottoms paired with a graphic tee, and you can also add more edge to your outfit through your shoes (I love a chelsea-style ankle boot), layered necklaces, and a hat. What are your thoughts on all of this plaid madness? Do you plan to wear it this winter?
My friend Cassi and I were driving around the other day looking for fresh spots to shoot blog content, when we spotted this adorable vintage car sitting in a lot of castaways at a tire shop. We hopped out right away to take these, and they're easily some of my favorite blog post photos ever! The car happened to be unlocked, so oops... we also had to get a few snaps inside 🙈 it was just too good to pass up!
This dress is such a fun piece, and also such a steal! I love the vintage, yet trendy vibes 👌 The resurgence of old-school plaid is really starting to grow on me, and I'm planning a post of plaid finds ASAP!
I hope you all had a fun Halloween! We didn't dress up this year, but had fun seeing our nieces and nephew in their costumes, and handing out candy at our house. I never lived in a neighborhood growing up, so I love living in one now and getting trick-or-treaters :)
