The Last Thing Thursdays #1

 

This week I'm joining up with The Life of the Wife for Last Thing Thursdays!!! I really loved the idea of these posts and thought it would break up the current monotony going on over here on my blog! So here goes....

{ Wanted to Buy... }

Ever since I found out Lavanila came out with Vanilla Summer, I've been dying to try it! I try to stay as organic & pure as possible when it comes to beauty products and Lavanila is one of my fav, more clean brands. I can't wait to try this out! The scent sounds like heaven!! I also LOVE Pacifica's line of products. I typically wear the Pearl Quench, but I like a little touch of color in the summer and this Color Quench looks perfect to accent that sun-kissed glow!

{ I Obsessed Over... }

The fact that True Blood starts back up in just a little over a week! I am SO excited!!! This is one of my fav shows on TV (aside from Walking Dead which won't be back until the fall, waaaaaaa) and it always brightens up my Sunday nights to end the weekend with a little Mr. Northman. Love him!!!

{ Finally Bought... }

I was so lucky to have snagged this Romeo & Juliet Couture dress from Hautelook! This color sold out in 5 min, no kidding!!! I love Hautelook. I've always had such great customer service from them and always get the best deals. I'm loving yellow/blue together right now, so I'm really hoping I love the dress as much in person as I do from the pic!

{ Daydreamed About... }

I saw this pin on Pinterest recently and just completely fell head over heels. This gorgeous bungalow home via Southern Living is located in South Carolina. Oh my, how I dream of moving into a home like this one day. ****swoon...

{ I Stressed About... }

That it's getting hot and summer is here! Soon it'll be time to start sporting this baby, and even though it's not a two-piece, I still need to get my flabby butt in gear.... literally. As of today I'm officially back on the fitness train. I started logging my meals to keep from mindlessly eating. And I started back up doing my Tracy workouts - the only strength workouts out there where I have seen consistent results.

So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed my first installment of "Last Things Thursday"!

XOXO

Wednesday Wants

Crazy, I can't believe it's Wednesday already! These weeks are just flying by!! It's been getting pretty warm here in Jersey lately, and even though I'm not really a fan of the summer (it gets so humid & sticky here) I do love the warm weather styles! Here is my current lust list...

Jersey Top by Splendid

Gap Sweater Tank

Gorgeous Coral/Turquoise Earrings

Trina Turk for BR

Aren't the earrings & maxi gorgeous?!? I'm dying over all the colors! There was a Trina Turk for Banana Republic early access sale on Gilt today and I wanted that dress so so bad, but I resisted. I'm going to wait for the collection to hit stores 6/7 and re-evaluate my summer wardrobe! If you're curious what the rest of the collection looks like, you can check it out on InStyle.com. I'm loving so many of the prints!!!

XOXO

Bachelorette Recap - Week 3

Sorry for posting a bit late today! My son is home from school on a "snow day" and after the holiday weekend, it took me a bit of time to get on here. So last night.... Last night's show was a bit better. We're getting there! Slowly, but hopefully each week will liven up a bit. I'm linking up with Bachelorette Dish again this week (it's always so much fun to do these recaps with company!) so let's get started with the one-on-one dates....

{ photo via abc.com }

Emily & Chris. I have to say... I didn't really think much of Chris at first. He seemed ok to me. But last night showed a sweeter side of him. I still can't tell if it's really genuine or not. But he seems like a nice guy. But nice all the same. I thought going up the side of the building was a bit strange. Def not my cup of tea!!! But Emily handled it well and though Chris comforting her was a bit on the dry side, it was nice to see them interact that way.

{ photo via abc.com }

Now Arie & Emily are adorable together! They have really great chemistry and he was so sweet to her. Loved all the forehead kisses and the hugging etc. I agree with Dolly, it definitely seemed like this was one of many dates and not just the first. I'm really hoping that Arie doesn't end up turning out like my prediction (guy that isn't so nice acting really nice) and if he does, I'm really hoping that Emily is as smart as I think she is. But how cute was their date to Dollywood?! It looked like such a neat place. Ps - I love Dolly, she is so so cute!!! I'm really looking forward to seeing how Emily & Arie's relationship grows, though it's quite obvious that he'll be one of the last guys standing!

The group date was interesting! Way to put the guys on the spot with the group of friends. But again, as a single mom and someone who takes this whole process really seriously, Emily is very smart! The date definitely put the guys in a position where she was able to weed some of them out, ahem..... Alessandro. I mean, what the heck was that?! His cousin??? A gypsy king?! Thankfully he showed his true colors later one and she gave him the boot. What a weirdo!!! Anyway, getting back to it. Sean..... We FINALLY got to see more of Sean!!! I knew he stuck out to me for a reason! I called it for sure and there is not a doubt in my mind that this man will be at the very end. He is handsome, kind, genuine and knows what he wants. It was so funny to see Emily's friends lusting after him! I can't wait to see Emily & Sean interact on a one on one date. I'm betting that comes next week!

Getting to my least favorite. I don't really like to talk about the people on these shows in a negative way. They are people just like you and me after all. But sometimes I can't help myself from saying just a little. Ryan. I know he's a top guy for so many Bachelorette fans out there. But I just don't see it. I don't see this guy that is so great for Emily like everyone else sees. He really doesn't seem like he's there for the right reasons and everything to do with Emily, the group date, her friends etc, just seemed like a game to him. My guess is that he'll make it pretty far, but Emily will sniff out the jerk in him and send him packing closer to the end.

Loved so many of her cute little date outfits & accessories. Make sure to stop by Possessionista to ID your fav's! Until next week!!!


XOXO

Confessional Friday

This week I just wasn't feeling my normal Friday's Fancies link-up , so I decided to do something a little different and join in with Blonde Ambition's Confessional Friday . I feel like my blog has become really fashion-heavy and focused on "things", so I'll probably switch it up between the two from time to time! So here it goes...

1. I confess that lately I've been having almost 2 large cups of coffee per day. I tried to quit it completely and now it's gotten worse! I'm all for the one cup per day, but lately it's just become the addiction that I just can't quit.

2. I confess that I also have a sugar addiction that I battle daily. Most days I'm really good with it, but if I let myself have something bad, it just snowballs from there and I crave, crave, crave. Sugar is like a drug.... for real... it really is. But I love it, so I'm sure I'll be dealing with the highs & lows of it forever. And that's ok.

3. I confess that I had a minor panic attack last night when I realized that most of the shows I watch at night are now over. I know I totally make myself sound like a complete couch potato, but I swear, I'm not! I dvr everything and watch from about 9-11 at night. I guess now will be the perfect time to catch up on Game of Thrones and all those movies I've been wanting to watch.

4. I confess that ... and this is a big one... I went to school for Holistic Nutrition and really thought that I was dead set on wanting to be a Health Coach and now I just have no clue. I find myself wanting to get involved in all the things that I wanted to do before I started the program (photography, DIY, interior redesign, furniture refinishing, and basically anything that involves anything pretty), but was too afraid to take the plunge and do. I really thought that at almost 32 years old I would have it all figured out and just can't seem to get a grasp on it. And I've really been trying.... for years. Being a Stay At Home Mom has been great, but I really really need to find what I'm meant to do.

5. I confess that even though I love my family & friends, I really really NEED to move near a beach or body of water. Preferably somewhere in North Carolina or my dream would be Cape Cod or Maine. Aaaahhhh, just picturing it..... pure perfection. Sigh*******

6. I confess that I'm really not looking forward to the summer at all. In NJ it just gets so hot & humid and it's really not enjoyable at all. At least not for me. I know some people love it! But my hair doesn't and I can't stand sweating profusely. Gross.

7. I confess that I'm really not a writer. Can you tell? I would love for this little blog of mine to be more wordy, but I tend to gravitate towards those fashion posts for a reason. Because I don't have to write much. I'm working on it. If anyone can recommend a good online writing course that helped them with their blogging, please... feel free to send me the info!

8. I confess that I'm not doing much this weekend and I'm actually looking forward to it. I relish the boring moments with my family because I don't feel like I'm living in constant warp speed, stopping here and going there. I feel like I can really take in the moments and enjoy it. Even though some days it can be boring, I find it so much better than feeling rushed because we have to run all over. Total quality time!

So there you have it.... my confessions. I know they aren't much, but this post was kind of last minute!! I really hope all of you enjoy your holiday weekend!!!


XOXO

 

Wednesday Wants

 organic pave hoops // Tank // white shorts // gorgeous wedges

Anthro is having their semi-annual sale, and for some reason I just can't stop looking at this tank. I can't tell if it would be flattering or not. Sometimes that seems to be a hit or miss. And I love these shoes! I really think I need them and they would go with SO much!!!

sculpted leaf necklace // organic maxi dress // gorgeous wedges

I also think the wedges would go perfect with this dress! I actually own the dress in plum (lucky enough to snag from Hautelook last year) & adore it! It's one of my summer staples and I decided today that I need to find it in black asap!

What are you coveting this week?

XOXO

Bachelorette Recap ~ Week 2

 { via }

Last night I was counting down the minutes to the show, hoping that this week would be better. The verdict? Eh.... a little bit. Don't get me wrong, I love me some muppets, but... that was a bit much, even for me! I felt like ABC needed to fill a huge amount of time in the show. There could have been better use of everyone's time, like um.... dates??? All that aside, we finally got a glimpse of a couple of the guys in action. Ryan had his one on one and I actually think the way Emily chose to do part 1 of her date was very smart. Maybe Ryan was a guy that she was slightly unsure about, so she chose to immerse him in a small snippet of her daily life to see how he would react. He seems like a nice guy, and judging by all the tweets about him last night, he's in a lot of fans top 3. However, for me he's not. There's just something about him that I can't put my finger on. Something just rubs me the wrong way. Not a fan. Not for Emily anyway.

By the time poor Dawson... I mean Joe's date came about, my eyes were glazing over. Def not an exciting 2nd episode by any means. There's really not much to say since Joe ended up going home. I think Emily made the right decision there. Everything else is pretty much like a blur for me. I just remember lots of sparkles & sequins... love!!! And catty guys bickering. Are they worse than the women on the Bachelor or what? Especially this group of guys. I just know this season is going to be drama!

The preview for next week looks pretty promising! I'm hoping we get to see a little more of the other guys rather than Kalon & Stevie... bleh to both! Mytop 3 are currently Sean, Arie, and long-haired guy. I have no idea what his name is, I've hardly heard his voice, but he's cute. My prediction, which I have every season and am actually correct a majority of the time, is that it will come down to these two guys....




Arie // Sean
Sean is actually my favorite this season so far. I thought he was really cute in episode 1 and seems super sweet & down to earth. We haven't gotten to see too much of him, but there's just something about him that stands out to me, even if it is amongst a sea of weird. Arie is pretty cute as well. He has that boyish charm mixed with a bit of bad boy (aka racing) that Emily seems to gravitate towards. My only concern with him is that he's got a bit of an edge. In the end I think it'll all come down to the handsome, sweet guy that is a perfect fit for Em and the guy that acts like he's super sweet and perfect for her, but is hiding something. And we all know how that goes! Emily seems like a very smart girl, so hopefully she can see past any BS. I'm rooting for you Sean!!!

Lots of cute clothes last night too. Make sure to stop by Possessionista to ID any of Emily's clothes/accessories you might be coveting!

Until next week!!!

XOXO

Monday Musings

{ via }

Some days I totally wish I could do the above. Today is def one of those days. It was spectacularly gorgeous this past weekend. I mean, the weather was PERFECT. But today I woke up to a humid, rainy mess. Which totally aggravates my TMJ. So I also woke up with a massive headache & achy jaw. Ouch =( Aside from that, I'm in a pretty decent mood! I had a nice weekend and really can't complain!

I also snagged some great deals today, which I'm super excited about!!! I've been a tad late picking up some summer essentials for myself and the little man, so today when I got emails from Gap & Old Navy, I decided to check it out. Today you can get 25% off your total purchase with code GAPLOVE at Gap and Old Navy is also running a discount - 15% off with code ONBEACH. Even better... You can get an additional 13% cashback at both through Ebates today!!! If you're not familiar with Ebates and you do a lot of online shopping, you def need to check it out asap! You simply login before you start shopping and click through to each store. They list all the coupons online for you and they run different specials like double cashback each day. It really does add up! I got over $20 cashback just for tackling my son's shopping today!  ; )

In other news, today is Monday and you know what that means!!! Bachelorette tonight!!! I'm so excited to see how all the guys are now that the awkward intro's are over. Some of them really came off pretty corny last week, but I have a feeling that might change tonight. Look for my recap tomorrow!!!

XOXO

Friday's Fancies - Chambray

I am so happy it's Friday! This week was so rainy & humid, I just couldn't wait for it to be over! But now the weather is perfect and I'm so ready to enjoy it!!! This week I'm doing something a little different and am linking up with Long Distance Loving. There's a Friday's Fancies link-up every week and I thought it would be a lot more fun to have some direction with my post and to meet some of the other girls!!! If you would like to join, head on over and sign up for the newsletter, so you can get the theme ahead of time!

Chambray Scarf // Featherweight Tank // Printed Shorts // Rose Gold Cascade Earrings // Rose Gold Sandals

I have to say, when I first learned what this weeks theme was, I was a teensy bit worried. I'm not a huge fan of chambray. I always think the camp shirts are cute, but have so much trouble thinking of ways to wear them without looking like I'm going... well... camping. Or "glamping" in my case ;) So I decided to do something a little different and added a touch of chambray!I love the combo of the feathery white tank, the unique print of the shorts and the touch of rose gold (my fav!!!) I hope everyone has a great weekend!!! Happy Friday!!!

XOXO

Glass Slippers & Ostrich Eggs?

Glass slippers, eggs (what was with that egg anyway?!) & a man dressed as his grandma... oh my... Where do I start??? I have very mixed feelings about last night. I know it's going to be a decent season and I don't want to pre-judge all the guys based on some of the corny intro's they had planned out. I mean really though, I felt like I was in the Twilight zone watching all of them come in, each attempt at winning Emily over worse than the one before. And what was with the hair on these guys?!? I mean seriously. There were some crazy styles going on. But all hair & cheesiness aside, every season I seem to fall for a few of the underdogs and they win me over eventually. A few of these guys have potential I think!

I don't really want to go into who I didn't like. We were all watching the same show, and I think it's probably pretty obvious! I just feel so mean doing that! I mean I know these guys ask for it with some of their goofy antics, but they're still people just like you & me, so I'd rather focus on the guys that I did really like....

{ Sean Lowe photo from ABC via Wetpaint }

I don't really recall seeing too much of Sean last night. Maybe I was just too focused on all the ridiculousness going on, or maybe he was overshadowed by it... I don't know. Either way, he stood out as being one of the cute guys and didn't make an ass out of himself when he introduced himself to Emily! And from what I could see from the season previews, he easily stood out as one of my top picks immediately!!

{ Charlie Grogan photo from ABC via Wetpaint }

I also thought Charlie seemed like a nice guy! Don't really know much about him yet, other than his horrible injury that he was SO lucky to recover from! I'm looking forward to learning more about him.

{ Jef Holm photo from ABC via Wetpaint }

Jef with one F seems like a real sweetheart and all around cool guy. I don't know if I can get past the fact that he looks really really young, like 20 yrs old young, but I'm diggin his vibe so far! And I think his organization, People Water, is awesome!

{ Arie Luyendyk Jr photo from ABC via Wetpaint }

My top favorite of the night would def go to Arie! I'm sure tons of other ladies feel the same way!! He's def a cutie for sure!! And I actually think the fact that he's a racecar driver will attract Emily more than repel her. The only thing that concerns me is that under all of that boyish charm, he may be a womanizer. There's some rumors swirling about Arie's past apparently (I'm not entirely sure exactly what they are, other than 1 thing I found out) but all these guys have the potential to be a certain way and one would hope that if they were to win over a woman like Emily, that they would be different.

I'm most of the guys were very nice! They all seem pretty genuine.... for the most part... Even though I wasn't overly impressed last night, I still think it's going to shape up to be a great season! First impressions and looks aside, there have been guys in past seasons that I thought were gorgeous, but if you don't have a brain or act like a complete jerkface, you can become ugly real fast!! And vice versa. So I'm looking forward to seeing how all these guys evolve. They def seem like quite a catty bunch too, so that should be interesting!!!

What did you think of the show last night? Who are your fav's??

 XOXO

Tonight's the Night!!!

{ photo via }

Tonight's the night! Even after all these years of watching, I still can't seem to get enough of this show! Even through the many bad choices, the villian's, the many times I get so into it that I want to throw things at the TV, I still love every second. I do watch both The Bachelor and Bachelorette, but I'm really excited about this season because not only do I LOVE Emily, but I'm so stoked to see what she'll be wearing every episode! You have to be sure to check out Possessionista's blog after each show so you can see where to find your fav styles!

Other than the excitement of tonight's show, not much to report! I had a very relaxing weekend filled with movies and time with my Hubby & little boy. The Avenger's was awesome & RDJ as well as the other characters, did not disappoint!!! I loved it! We also rented Thor over the weekend and I really enjoyed that as well. Yesterday I woke up to coffee and a delicious breakfast made special for me by my boys and then spent the day out perusing some shops and stopping for a nice lunch. Perfection!

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!!! Make sure to stop back tomorrow for my Bachelorette recap, which I plan on doing weekly!

 XOXO

Friday Fancies - Happy Mother's Day!!!

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I know this is quite a mixed bag as far as things I'm coveting right now, but I've had my eye on a few of these beauties for some time! I'm loving that Anthro Tank and think it would be the perfect addition to my summer wardrobe. Both the lotion and perfume (Lavanila is one of my fav's. This scent was just released for summer and sounds AMAZING!) are healthy, organic alternatives to their often chemical-laden cousins - a MUST for my beauty arsenal!!! The cookbook is a necessity for my recent diet change of trying to reduce my meat intake. It looks like it has some delicious recipes! As for the bag? I've always loved shopper/tote type bags for some reason. This one is the perfect color, shape & size and would transition well into fall. And the lamp..... Oh the lamp... I've been eying this gorgeous glass lamp at target for months. It is the most beautiful shade of green/blue and I NEED it!!! I'm hoping to maybe go snag it this weekend!

As for the weekend, we have a few things planned. Tonight we're finally going to see The Avenger's and I'm super excited because not only do I love Marvel Comic movies, but I love, love, love "My Robert" .... Like seriously ADORE!!!

{ photo via }

Who doesn't right?! And for Mother's Day we haven't finalized anything yet, but I saw a commercial for a new Tree Exhibit at  The Morris Arboretum and think it looks kind of cool!Check out the commercial, I think my son will love it!!



What do all of you have planned? Wishing you a fantastic Mother's Day!!!!

XOXO