In 2022, my daughter’s birthday fell on Mother’s Day! It was sweet to celebrate that day together! Mother’s Day is May 12th this year, and I wanted to share a round-up of gift ideas in case you are looking to give a gift to your mom or a mother figure in your life. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty. 01. Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Overnight Serum – I’ve been using this for a few weeks and love it! 02. Laneige Lip Glowy Balm – I keep one of these in my kitchen drawer because I use ..read more

A few followers asked for a deeper dive into the bag I purchased recently, so this blog post will do just that. I recognize this is a luxury purchase, and this post exists to share a closer look at the bag should you be interested, but isn’t intended to make you feel any negative feelings about having or not having a designer bag. This is the first time I’ve spent this much money on a bag. I’ve been kicking the idea around in my head for a few years. I looked closely into Celine bags, but they felt too fancy/dressed up for something I wanted to carry in my daily life. I also considered a bag ..read more

If you’re a high stretch + thin fabric denim gal, I’ve got a great brand for you to explore. I can’t remember why I ordered the Kut from the Kloth Meg Wide Leg but I’m glad I did. I had tried a pair of wide leg denim from another brand that was just too high of a rise for me. I wanted more of a mid-rise (like a 9-10 inch rise instead of 11) and found the Meg Wide Leg. I ordered them and was instantly in love. I sized down since many reviewers suggested to do so and found that to be a better fit for me. These jeans are thin, stretchy, and have a lot of give so if you are between sizes, definit ..read more

We have had a windy but sunny weekend here in Raleigh. Justin competed in a sprint triathlon on Saturday morning where he got 2nd place for his age group! I am so impressed! I’ve shared on Instagram Stories that he is doing his first-ever Ironman in July so he has a couple shorter-distance triathlons on his calendar for the spring to get into the rhythm of that kind of race. It’s hard to believe that we are nearly at the one-month mark until the kids are out of school for summertime. I’m certainly ready for the summer weather and to start swimming in the pool! I’m wrapping up my testing perio ..read more

Sneakers are a go-to shoe, and with upcoming travel on my calendar I wanted to make sure that I had a great pair of sneakers to go with a handful of outfits. I tend to lean towards more plain and white versions of sneakers, even though my eye always goes to the metallic details or colorful details. Whenever I try them on I find myself wondeirng if I’ll be too picky about how to coordinate them with my more neutral outfits. I get the most wear out of an all white sneaker, so these were a few that caught my eye! One (similar), Two, Three, Four, Five (more sizing), Six, Seven, Eight, Nine. The p ..read more

In a world of blow-dry brushes, air wraps, hot brushes, and more, the simple blow dryer has been neglected. And listen, if you love a blow-dry tool that is completely fine! But sometimes there is a need for a standard blow dryer and today I’m breaking down the pros and cons of 5 different top dryers. The lineup includes… Rusk Speedfreak, Dyson Supersonic, BabylissPRO Rapido, Conair Infinity Pro, Shark Hyperair IQ I wanted to not only include a range of prices, but brands and styles as well. I’ve personally used all of these dryers, some more than others, and think you’ll be able to find the r ..read more

Well, we’ve had quite a challenging last few weeks. My kids, and husband, all got knocked out with sickness and we are finally, finally on the mend. Nothing is harder than seeing your kids sick. I wished that I could just absorb their symptoms so they could be better. They all handled it well, considering, and we are so thankful for normal life resuming! It’s been a long time since an illness has swept through our home like that, and I’m grateful that it seems to be over. It is by the grace of God that I haven’t gotten anything and I’ve been able to care for everyone! The trees are blooming ..read more

So, March was a slower reading month but I still finished a few books that I thoroughly enjoyed! The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah // I started this novel a few years ago. I had to set it aside because it was just so hard to read. There were such heartbreaking scenes that involved children that I just couldn’t bear. I decided to finish it up in March and I’m so glad that I did. This was a 5-star read, with a warning that there are very, very difficult parts to read that involve immense tragedy. The Last Love Note by Emma Gray // This was our book club pick last month and I enjoyed it! I felt ..read more

When it came to updating our primary bedroom decor, I really was just looking to modernize it a bit. The furniture we had in that room was from many, many years ago and the decor/accent pieces felt tired. We kept much of the big pieces of furniture and simply updated art, accessories, and smaller decor. Swapping out the rug made a huge difference, and I think the primary bedroom looks fresh light, and beautiful. You can see the process where we received the original furniture here. And if you’re interested in seeing where we started before this recent update, read here. Abstract Beach Art (s ..read more

I was washing my hair with a new (to me) shampoo recently and thought, “I need to write a blog post gushing about some of the things I’m using and loving lately!” So here we are! I really love this shampoo. I pair it with Pureology Hydrate conditioner ( my most loved, most used, always need to have in my shower conditioner ). I like that it makes my hair feel light and lifted, without being too squeaky clean and staticky. This was the shampoo I was using when I thought about writing this very blog post. A few people in my DM’s recommended Kevin Murphy root lifter, so while I was shopping for ..read more